


Possession

by RowanSilverwolf



Series: All is well [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Alien Sickness, Doctor Whump, F/M, Oral Sex, Sex, Sick Doctor, Tardis likes Rose and the Doctor together., Voyeurism, alternative personality, loss in inhibitions, sick Rose, slutty Doctor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:21:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 39,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24669076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowanSilverwolf/pseuds/RowanSilverwolf
Summary: Starts right where “Echoes” ended. The Doctor becomes affected by a siren call and it’s causing strange reactions. Can Jack save them all from  rogue Time Lord?
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: All is well [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1623688
Comments: 11
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

"You alright?" Rose asked as the Time Lord stepped back in.

"Me? I'm fantastic," he grinned. "So where to?"

"Dunno, somewhere fun. No drama for a change. No torture just fun. Not for long though, I think we'll get bored after a day or so."

"Relaxed fun it is. Any preferences Jack? And if you even think about say the name of a certain pleasure planet I will disown you!"

"What's wrong with a pleasure planet?" Rose asked, her gaze flicking between Jack and the Doctor.

"The problem sweetheart is that on this particular planet you lose all you inhibitions, you're driven by the things that pleasure you," Jack explained.

"And the problem with that is?"

"A Time Lord with no inhibitions is a very dangerous thing," the Doctor told them.

"So he says. I think he just doesn't like not being in control," Jack whispered.

"I could comment on that but I won't," Rose caught her tongue between her teeth and smiled at her lover.

"Behave," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Right then, how about pot luck? Let the TARDIS choose."

"You're the boss."

"Oh really? That makes a change," the Doctor grinned. "Oh wait, first we need to stop in Cardiff."

"Oh?" Rose stepped beside him.

"Need to let your mother know everything's alright. She has an uncanny knack of phoning right in the middle of things."

"Tell me about it! Right, look out Cardiff, here we come!"

"Hold on tight!" His hand's faltered as the monitor caught his eye.

"What's up?" Rose peered at a monitor. "Wow, that's one hell of a row."

Jack stepped up behind her.

In the middle of the screen, a couple stood in the car park. The man had grabbed the woman by the shoulders, trying to force her to look at him but she wouldn't.

"Should we do something?" Jack asked.

The Doctor ran to the doors and flung them open, staring out at the scene.

"Sensing something?" Rose asked, her eyes never leaving the screen.

"There's something but I can’t pick it out. Might just be me over thinking things."

Jack and Rose both looked up at him then. The Doctor over thinking things? Not likely.

"Here comes Martha and the security," Jack pointed out as he stepped up beside the Doctor in the door way.

As they watched the warring couple the Doctor went rigid.

"Those security aren't going to be able to help!" he said, taking off running full speed towards them.

Jack and Rose took off after him, seeing a purple mist surround the man and woman.

Martha looked up and saw the Doctor rushing towards her. She smiled to herself thinking he'd forgotten something.

"Martha, get out of there!" he yelled barging her out of the way as he came skidding to a halt, Rose and Jack only a few steps behind.

"What's going on?" Martha asked, noticing the purple mist for the first time.

"Something not good.”

"Thanks, I sort of figured that out myself."

"Then why ask?" the Doctor snapped.

"Thought you might know something more."

"Nope, no more than you." The Doctor stepped forward putting on his glasses, eyes searching for something in the mist that he might recognise.

"Brilliant," Martha rolled her eyes. "Hello again, fancy seeing you here," she giggled at Jack and Rose, only they didn't laugh back.

"Doctor," Rose stepped forward, resting her hand on his arm stopping him from getting any closer, "the colour purple. Isn't that….?"

"Universal signal for danger. Yup."

"Then should we be standing this close?"

"Probably not." He stepped back again as a tendril of mist reached towards him. "Right inside."

The four ran for the main doors, pushing their way through the small crowd that was gathering.

"What is that thing?" Martha asked finally as they reached a clear window.

"Last time I saw something like that it was an alien that survived on orgasmic energy."

All three, looked round at Jack with withering looks.

"It's true! Dusted who ever she got it from in seconds. It was a sight to behold I tell ya, although I doubt any of them had a smile on their face when they went. Looked rather painful."

"You're being serious aren't you?!" Rose asked.

"That's impossible. It'd never survive in the Earth's atmosphere," the Doctor told them.

"She was using a human host," Jack said.

"Ouch," the Doctor winced and scrunched up his nose.

"Yeah, like I said, they didn't go with a smile on their face."

"Hang on are you saying there really is an alien that needs sex to survive?" Rose asked, sharing an unconvinced look with Martha.

"Quite a few actually, although it's not the act it's the energy that builds up, the release." The Doctor tried to ignore the heat that was rising in his cheeks as he squinted out the window at the mist. "That's growing."

"But what is it?"

"No idea."

"It's not a sex-addict alien then?" Jack enquired.

"No Jack that would be you."

"Hey! I'm not an alien!"

"Compared to the humans on this planet you are. I need to get a closer look." The Doctor darted off down the stairs, Sonic Screwdriver in hand.

A few moments later he was back.

"Well?" Jack asked.

"Nothing, they've locked down the hospital until further notice."

"So what do we do?"

"How 'bout a trip to the shop?"

"What is it with you and hospital shops?" Rose asked smiled.

"Well, if you're going to be stuck in a hospital it might as well have a shop. Coming?"

"Sure, you guys want anything?"

Martha and Jack shook their heads, gazing out the window at the purple cloud.

XxXxX

"Mmm, banana and chocolates," the Doctor sighed happily as they slowly walked up the stairs.

"You and bananas," Rose rolled her eyes. The corridors were virtually empty. Everyone was down in the waiting area watching the purple cloud. The warring couple had been taken away by the police but the cloud remained, swirling round and round. "So what's the plan? We're locked in here, the TARDIS is out there and there's a mystery mist between us. Any ideas?"

"Well I might have one or two." His arm slipped round her waist. "Come with me." Looking around he darted for a storage closet pulling her in behind him.

"What we doing in here?"

To answer the Doctor dipped his head and kissed her, his fingers exploring the skin at the hem of her top.

"Behave," she panted as he pulled back for air.

"Why? Got somewhere better to be?"

"Well, no… I suppose."

"It's been ages since I've had you."

"And erm…. And you think now's a good time?"

"As good a time as any," he told her, his eyes black as he assaulted her neck.

Rose knew she should probably stop him, this wasn't like him, he blushed at the mere mention of anything remotely sexual, he didn't seduce her in a storage closet in the middle of a crisis. Yes she should definitely stop him. But then his cool fingers were unbuttoning her jeans and all reason flew from her mind.

XxXxX

"Bet you thought you were well rid of us," Jack smiled as he and Martha sat in the stairwell, watching the car park.

"Knew you'd all be back. Doesn't look like I'm getting home on time today though. I've only got half hour of my shift left."

"Big plans?"

"Revision."

"Ah, I remember studying for exams. Long long time ago. Centuries in fact."

"What was centuries ago? The first time you ever got laid?" the Doctor's voice drifted over as he bounded up the stairs happily munching on a banana.

Jack and Martha stared at him.

"Sorry did you just ask about the first time I ever got laid?"

"Did I?" He pondered the question for a moment before shrugging and turning his attention to the window.

"Where's Rose?" Jack asked, exchanging a suspicious glance with Martha.

"She'll be along in a minute. It hasn't moved then," he nodded out the window, taking another bite of the fruit.

"You okay Doc?" he stood and eyed the Time Lord.

"Hmm? What? Oh me, I'm fantastic, yes. Why? Shouldn't I be?"

"You tell me. You look… something's different."

The Doctor turned his head to look at Jack. "What are you talking about?"

Jack stepped closer; making sure Martha wasn't likely to hear. "You look more rumpled than usual and there's a strange look in your eye."

"I'm fine. But we do need to get round that cloud and back to the TARDIS."

Jack paused for a moment before responding, taking in his friend's demeanour. "Can't you just call her in?"

"Too big a risk. Too many people."

"You okay Rose?" Martha said as the blonde stumbled up the stairs.

The Doctor didn't have to look round, he knew she was there, he could still feel her in his head all be it very dazed.

"Something wrong Rosie? You look flushed," Jack asked looking her over.

"I'm fine, he erm… he runs up stairs too fast for me."

The former Time Agent looked from the girl to the Time Lord and back again giving Rose a quizzical look as his head began to piece things together.

She gave a small shake of her head and a look that told him not to ask. Part of her felt fantastic, she'd just had one of the best moments of her life in a storage closet but she couldn't help but wonder what got into him. She managed to convince herself that it was just his relief at being himself again. Maybe the Nanogenes left him with some extra energy. It sounded plausible enough. So why did she have the undeniable urge to grab Jack and tell him everything.

' _A storms approaching.'_ He had to say it didn't he? He had to say those damn words, now she was on edge. That's all it was, he did something spontaneous and wonderful and she was reading too much into it.

Taking a deep breath she walked to the Doctor's side and he promptly moved behind her, pulling her back against him. His fingers softly stroking the skin just above her waistband made her shiver and she felt him suppress a chuckle.

Yes everything was fine, he was just glad to be back and have her back.

"We should get back to the TARDIS," he murmured in her ear, his fingers stilling and his body suddenly tense."

"What's wrong?" Rose turned to look at him, concern etched on her face. She felt Jack and Martha move closer.

The Doctor shook his head. "I don't know. Something doesn't smell right."

"Literally or metaphorically?" Jack asked earning an impatient look from the Time Lord.

"Come on," the Doctor darted down the stairs not waiting to see if the others were following.

He barged his way through the crowd to the front doors of the hospital and eyed the mist. He pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver and held it tightly.

"Don't let it touch you, just duck and run straight for the TARDIS."

"Doc, what's going on?" Jack stepped up beside him.

"That's what we need to find out Captain and for that I need the TARDIS."

Rose and Martha watched as he put a hand to the side of his head and gave a small shake, as if trying to clear water from his ears.

"Ready? Jack don't lose Martha." Without looking he reached behind him and instinctively grabbed Rose's hand, knowing exactly where she was and pointed the Sonic Screwdriver at the lock on the doors.

They sprung apart and the Doctor began to run, security guards shouting after them.

"What about the others inside?" Rose asked as they sprinted across the car park. "We don't know what that thing can do."

Growling the Doctor stopped running. "Fine," he rolled his eyes. "Keep going." He lifted the Screwdriver again aiming it at the doors and waited for them to close, locking everyone safely inside. He turned to continue back to the TARDIS then stopped. Turning back he pointed the Screwdriver at the cloud and scanned it before running for the doors of his ship.

"One day you lot are gona learn to look after yourselves. I mean really how hard is it to close a bloody set of doors?!" he ranted as he stalked up the ramp. "Oh that's right, I was forgetting, that's not the way humans work, they always wait to be saved by a higher power. A simple little thing like closing a door and not one goes to do it."

"What's got into you?" Rose demanded grabbing his arm as he passed her. "You're not yourself, first in the hospital and now this rant. Something's definitely not right."

"Not now Rose," he dismissed her and headed for the corridor.

"Hey!" she called after him and followed. "Don't do that. Don't dismiss me like that. Something isn't right and you know it. Is it something to do with the Nanogenes?"

"Don't be so stupid," he snapped then he seemed to catch himself and a look of shock crossed his face.

"See," Rose raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sorry. I'm fine really… it's probably just my brain unscrambling after yesterday."

She continued to look at him sceptically so he bent down to kiss her. "Everything's fine," he whispered against her lips kissing her again harder. Before he knew it he was pressing her up against the wall, his hands straying further than was decent in an exposed area of corridor. He wrenched himself away and practically threw himself against the opposite wall.

"Doctor?"

"It's fine. I just need some tea and sleep, that's all," he gave her a tight smile before hurrying away into the depths of the TARDIS.

"Rose?" Jack's voice carried down the corridor as he came towards her.

"Jack something's not right with him, not matter what he says," she told him, staring at he now empty corridor. "He's not alright."


	2. Chapter 2

"What happened in the hospital?" Jack watched Rose's cheeks redden as her gaze dropped to the floor.

"Are you serious? Him? In a public place?"

"The storage closet," she nodded.

"You're right, something is definitely wrong."

"Someone gona fill me in?" Martha asked.

"Um… it's sort of delicate." Jack winced.

"The Doctor jumped me in a storage closet in the hospital and nearly did it again right here," Rose said matter-of-factly.

"Oh," Martha cleared her throat. "And?"

"The most exotic place we've ever done it up until now is in his shower with the door locked."

The young doctor nodded. "Gotcha. So what's got into him?"

"That's what we want to know," Jack sighed. "Just when things get back to something that resembles normal."

"It's his fault," Rose told him.

"Why what did he do?"

"Last night, he said 'a storm's approaching'."

"Well there was, a huge thunder storm, we all played in the puddles remember?" He smiled at her softly.

"Yeah, but last time he said that something came that ripped us apart." She pursed her lips.

"That's not going to happen this time. We'll work it out and we'll fix it."

"We got through the last 24 hours, we can get through this," Martha told her, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.

XxXxX

Jack had been searching for the Doctor for what seemed like hours. Rose had become more snippy and frustrated over the last hour or so that he'd been missing and Jack was beginning to worry.

The Doctor just seemed to have disappeared, he wasn't in any of the communal rooms, he wasn't in his bedroom or the garden. By now Jack was just wandering aimlessly down corridors desperately trying to think of anywhere he hadn't searched.

Turning a corner he spotted something casting a moving shadow against a wall.

His pace sped up as he neared it and spotted the Doctor through the glass in the door opposite.

"Doc, what are you doing in there?" Jack pulled on the handle of the storage room but it wouldn't budge. Something on the floor caught his eye, the Sonic Screwdriver. "What's going on?" A cold feeling settled in the ex-con-man's stomach.

The Time Lord was pacing back and forth across the floor pulling at his hair.

"Listen very carefully; I don't know how long I've got to explain this to you. I can feel it, it's in my head. It's like my blood is rushing through my ears, like I'm underwater and it's driving me insane."

"Tinnitus?"

"No, it's like it's been planted. Jack, I can feel myself slipping." The Doctor was at the door now almost nose to nose with Jack through the small round porthole, his face taught with worry.

"When you say slipping…?" Jack saw the dark look flicker through the Doctor's eyes. When he looked closer he could see a cloud spiralling in each eye, it sparkled like space dust and Jack suddenly understood. "Doc, when you 'slip' what happens?"

"You don't want to know," the Doctor's voice had a tinge or laughter to it that caused Jack to pull back from the window.

He could see the corners of the Time Lord's lips curving upwards and Jack didn't think he'd seen anything so wicked looking in all the centuries he'd been alive.

"What do we do?" He saw the Doctor's expression return to concern momentarily.

"Keep the girls away from me. You too, stay away, just find that signal."

"What signal?"

The Doctor sank from view, sliding down to the floor giggling manically. "You'll never find it. They don't want you to!"

"Who's 'they'? What signal Doctor?" Jack yelled through, pressing himself up against the door trying to see the Doctor below. "Tell me, what signal? Who's doing this?"

Suddenly the Doctor slammed himself against the door, wide eyed with a grotesque grin, pressing his face against the glass. To Jack he looked like a crazed clown without the make-up and it scared him. The Doctor had gone completely mad and only the Doctor knew how.

"Doc, you've got to fight this, you have to try and get some control. What's gona happen?"

"A Time Lord with no inhibitions!" he giggled.

"Like earlier with Rose in the hospital."

"Hmmm, that was fun. I should do that more often, should've seen the look on her face and oh! The sounds she made…" He closed his eyes as if reliving the moment.

"Doc, focus!" Jack slammed his hand against the glass gaining the Doctor's attention. "Other than being a randy S.O.B what else are we in for?"

"Don't let me out," the Doctor rasped, his eyes misting as if he was in the midst of a migraine. "A rogue Time Lord is selfish and crazy, doesn't care about the rules or what's around him only what he wants. The universe isn't safe with me loose. Promise me. Don't let me loose, no matter what I say!"

"I promise," Jack whispered feeling terrified. The Doctor always had the solutions, was always guiding him with things like this. Now it seemed it was up to Jack and the girls.

The Doctor's manic giggling was back, reminding Jack of an old horror film.

XxXxX

"Okay, so we're on our own with this one," Jack announced as he strode back into the control room.

"Did you find him?" Martha asked.

"Oh yeah, I found him alright, drugged up with a nice dose of crazy." He rubbed his hands over his face.

"So what do we do?"  
"We stay away until we've solved this. He said to find the signal and stop it."

"Well what does that mean?"

"He says there's this buzzing in his head, like his blood is rushing past his ears. That's what's driving him insane. We need to find that signal and stop it."

"Oh is that all?!" Martha stated sarcastically.

"Rose? You alright?" Jack called to the blond perched on the jump seat.

She nodded, staring at the control panel.

"We'll get him back," Martha said sitting beside her. "The universe needs the Doctor."

"I know," Rose snipped.

The girl stood, taken aback and crossed to Jack, keeping her eyes on Rose.

' _Help me Rose; I need you to help me.'_

' _Doctor? Where are you? Jack says we have to stay away.'_

' _If you stay away I'm going to go crazy down here.'_

' _Thought you already were.'_

' _Moments of clarity Rose, moments of clarity. I need you to keep me sane. Please. I'm scared.'_

Rose stood and started for the corridor.

"Where are you going?" Jack asked her.

"I need to get out of this room."

"Don't go and find him, Rose. He's dangerous."

She hesitated for a moment before continuing out the control room, following the voice in her head, the pleas of her lover for help.

"She's going to go and find him isn't she?" It wasn't really a question Martha needed to ask. They both knew the answer. "Shouldn't we stop her?"

"Almost definitely."

"Then why are we standing here instead of going after her?"

"Good question." Jack took off out the control room and down the corridor, Martha following close behind. "Get to her room and hold the door open. I'll lock her inside," he hissed not waiting for Martha to respond.

XxXxX

Rose had been sat on her bed for what seemed like ours since Jack manhandled her through the door. All she wanted was to see the Doctor. He wanted to see her, he needed her help but Jack and Martha were convinced it was all part of his madness. Like a child catcher telling children what they want to hear, luring them into a trap. She sighed loudly and threw her pillow across the room. She hadn't heard the Doctor's voice in her head for a long while but then she heard a muffled voice on the other side of her door before it slid open.

"There's my girl, what kept you?" The Doctor leant against the doorframe.

"Jack and Martha. They ambushed me in the corridor and locked me in my room."

"And you let them?" He stepped further into the room, pressed his hand against the wall and the door closed.

"How did you do that?"

"Rule 26 'always remember the TARDIS likes the Doctor and Rose together far more than apart'." He grinned at her. "The TARDIS and I are linked; you know that, she can't deny me something if I ask her nicely."

"So why didn't she let you out before?"

"I asked her not too, not while I was still…. having trouble."

"And now?"

"Been alright for a while," he shrugged.

"You sure?"

"For once no, I'm not sure but I needed to talk to you."

"So what's going on?"

"I can sometimes control it, keep it at bay. There's something out there trying to stop me, I don't know what or who or where but I know this isn't me. It's not a natural problem. I never looked into the Time Vortex when I was young so I can't be infected by it, it can't drive me mad but it's almost as if they're reprogramming the hold the vortex has on me; the way I can control Time and the way I can control myself. I'm sorry by the way, for earlier, in the hospital, I should never…."

"Don't… there's nothing to apologise for." A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Besides, I wasn't exactly fighting you off." She watched his eyes sparkle and darken.

"Stop it, that's not helping," he told her, fighting to keep control of himself. "I need you to listen to me." He grabbed her by the shoulders and searched her face. "Rose, are you feeling alright?"

"'Course, why?"

In her eyes he could see a swirling mist that sparkled. "You've got it too."

"Got what?" Her hands strayed to his shirt buttons.

Stilling her fingers with his own he pushed her away from him slightly. "Rose, I need you to focus. You need to fight against it."

"Against what?"

"Anything that you wouldn't do normally."

"Why? Earlier was fun."

"I know but it leads to darker things. Think about it; the Oncoming Storm and Bad Wolf completely off the rails. It would be a disaster for your entire universe."

"I suppose but you know what? They're ungrateful. You save them every week, over and over again but do they even know your name?" She reached up and raked her fingers through his hair. He knew his concentration wouldn't be able to cope much longer and then he'd be lost.

"Doc? What the hell?" Jack's voice floated over to them as the pair stood transfixed by each other.

Eventually the Doctor turned his head to look at Jack. "Afternoon Captain. I was just seeing how my girl was doing."

"Rose, step away from him."

Rose giggled. "Silly Jack. My Doctor would never hurt me….. not unless I asked him to."

That sinking feeling was back in Jack's stomach. He'd hoped her earlier snappiness had been down to annoyance at yet another hurdle for her and her Doctor but now his suspicions were confirmed. Rose was as ill as the Doctor.

"Great. So now I've got to deal with the pair of you." He looked back at the Doctor who seemed to be frowning, his brow creased in concentration.

"Jack, you have to keep Rose locked up somewhere safe. I can control myself for short periods of time but if Bad Wolf gets out we're all ruined. You saw what she's capable of, without her or myself to stop it….."

"Huge problem I get it. Doc, who are we looking for?"

"I don't know but whoever it is must want Earth for something." He squeezed his eyes shut as sweat began to bead on his forehead before he dropped to his knees.

"Theta?" Rose dropped beside him, cradling his hand in her own as he pressed his other hand to his head.

"Jack, that cloud. It's a diversion. It's built to distract us; whatever is out there is using that as a conductor. It's harmless to humans but not to us. It's manipulating the vortex," he reached up as if to stroke Rose's hair and instead caused her to pass out. "it's using the vortex to affect us."

"Why isn't it affecting me?" Jack knelt beside the Time Lord as he sank further to the floor.

"Thoughts have no reflection in you Jack, even for the TARDIS and the Vortex. They can't use them to manipulate you, neither can our visitors. Keep Martha safe and get Rose away from me." The Doctor's face relaxed as he collapsed in a heap on the floor.

XxXxX


	3. Chapter 3

"She really isn't going to like that," Martha told Jack as he fastened Rose to one of the beds in the med-bay.

"She doesn't have to like it; she just has to stay put."

"Fine you can tell her that when she wakes up."

"You got any better ideas? 'Cause if you have I'd really love to hear them because I'm drawing a blank on this whole thing." Jack stood and watched the sleeping Rose for a few moments and sighed.

"So what now?"

"Now we deal with the Doctor, or rather I deal with the Doctor. You need to stay as far away as possible. He said this thing was using the time vortex that exists in them to control them but I'm not so sure. It's not like we can really believe anything he says at the moment being so volatile and confused. Somehow this thing has infected Rose too and at this moment in time we can take anything for granted."

"How do you know it's not going to affect you too?"

"I don't, but I'm stronger than the Doctor and if he tries anything I can put up a much better fight if I don't have to make sure you're out of the way."

Martha nodded.

"Get to the control room and stay there, if he comes in stay close to the main doors, if he come in close to you get out and stay out. Hide from him if you have to just stay out of his way."

"Be careful." She offered him a small smile and reached up to kiss his cheek before disappearing out of the room.

Jack turned back to look at the still sleeping Rose. "We'll fix this," he whispered, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

XxXxX

The Doctor groaned as his eyes flickered open; the light of Rose's bedroom was far too bright for him. He steeled himself before rolling onto his front, forcing himself up to crawl to Rose's bathroom. He could feel the hot, heavy darkness already creeping in and it was getting stronger every time. The control he had over it was becoming less and less.

Crawling into the shower the Doctor reached up, switched on the cold spray and sagged against the wall, letting the water cascade over him, relaxing as his head cooled.

He'd been sat there for what seemed like hours and had begun to shiver before he heard his visitor.

"Doc?" Jack's voice filtered through the open bathroom door before he appeared. The Time Agent stopped dead as he saw the Time Lord sat under the spray. "Man you look awful."

"Thanks," the Doctor rasped.

"What are you doing?" Jack crouched before him, keeping out of reach from the spray and the Doctor.

"C-cooling off. It's g-getting stronger Jack. C-controlling it is g-getting t-too h-h-hard."

Jack sighed and nodded.

"Well you can't stay under there forever, look at the state of you. Soaked to the bone and shivering like a Hawaiian in the Antarctic. How long have you been under there?"

The Doctor shook his head slightly. "D-d-don't know," he stuttered. "H-how's R-Rose?"

"Safe. Doc, you've got to get out of there. You're going to make yourself sick."

"C-can't. H-have to k-keep c-cold."

Jack shook his head and stood, stepping under the shower to turn off the cascade. "Geez Doc, it's like being showered with ice." He shivered before pulling the protesting Doctor to his feet. "We'll knock you out or something but I'm not ready to find out what Hypothermia does to a Time Lord." He reached for a towel and wrapped it round his friend. "I'm not losing you to this, you understand me? You and Rose are all I've got, without you I'm lost in the dark so the minute you feel it coming on …" he was cut off by the Doctor's fist hitting him in the face.

"You talk too much Harkness," he heard the Doctor say as he fell to the floor, consciousness leaving him. "Now where have you put my girl?" Stepping over the unconscious Jack, he dropped the damp towel on his head and set off to find Rose.

XxXxX

"Where the hell have you been?" Rose fumed as the Doctor sauntered into the med-bay.

"I had a few loose ends to tie up." His eyes raked over his restrained lover greedily. "Maybe tying you up isn't such a bad idea either." He smiled wickedly.

A smile tugged at Rose's lips. "Big plans have you?"

"Well, depends on how grateful you'd be to get loose."

"Get over here and I'll show you." Her eyes sparkled as she licked her lips.

"Of course in my little fantasy you're wearing easier to rip clothes and your arms are above your head."

"Thought about it before have you?"

"Oh, many times."

"How about a little less talking then?"

"You're right, what was I thinking?" He stripped his tie and gagged her with it. "Much better," he grinned climbing onto the bed and hovering above her before bending to whisper in her ear. "Now then Miss Tyler, here's the thing. You think this is going to be fun but I can guarantee that it is going to drive you absolutely crazy," he started unbuttoning her jeans and felt her shiver as his breath fluttered across her neck, "because you won't be able to do a damn thing you want to. You're at my mercy." He nibbled on her ear before slipping his hand inside her jeans.

XxXxX

Jack rolled his head against the cold bathroom floor before sitting up. "Doc?" he called looking for his friend before remembering why he was on the floor. "Man, the Doc has a pretty good punch. Right, so that's the way he's playing it. Fine. Time to deal with Jekyll and Hyde."

Getting to his feet Jack caught his reflection in the mirror.

"Great a black eye, just what I always wanted. Oh boy, he is going down. And what did he mean I talk too much? He's one to talk, I only talk half as much as him." He paused and looked at himself again in the mirror. "He's the one who talks too much." Jack and his reflection nodded in agreement. "And yet I'm the one talking to my reflection. Out loud. And I'm still doing it! The chattering is contagious, must be. Maybe it's time I had a holiday. Or maybe I just really need to get laid. Yes I definitely need…" Leaving the bathroom Jack headed off to get armed still chattering to himself.

XxXxX

Rose mumbled through the tie in her mouth and pulled against the restraints.

"Now what did I tell you? Every time you make a sound I stop. Last warning."

She nodded and wriggled against him making the Doctor growl loudly. He held her hips firmly to the mattress. "Don't want the show to be over early do you?"

Rose shook her head and sighed as he picked up pace again.

"I can't leave you guys alone for two minutes," Jack sighed from the doorway.

The Doctor and Rose both looked round at him but instead of stopping the Doctor continued.

"Jealous Jack?" the Doctor ground out. "I'd ask you to join us but you're a bit late for the party, maybe next time." His eyes never left the Time Agent's making him feel incredibly uncomfortable but Jack found he couldn't look away. Any other time he would walk away but with both pairs of eyes staring at him he was rooted to the spot. It was like they were daring him to react.

After what seemed like an age the Doctor and Rose finally closed their eyes with their release and sighed.

The Doctor reached down to release Rose's hands and feet from the bed before removing the gag.

"Alright?" he whispered as he fastened his trousers.

Rose grinned and grabbed his face, kissing him hard in response before hopping off the table to pull her jeans up.

"Ooo, shaky legs," she giggled as she stumbled slightly. "We should do that more often."

The Doctor grinned at her.

"Sorry to break this touching yet disturbing moment," Jack said holding up a gun and firing first at the Doctor and then at Rose.

Martha came pelting down the corridor. "What the hell did you do?" she asked seeing her friends in a heap on the floor.

"It's only a tranquilizer. They'll be fine in an hour or so. So, how do we hide a Time Lord from his mate? He knows this ship inside out, there's no place he doesn't know and can't control."

"Doesn't he have like cells or something?"

"Not that I've noticed and I'd hate to think what he'd use it for in his altered state."

"Jack, mind out of the gutter for two minutes."

"Hey, you didn't see what they were doing five minutes ago."

"You've been standing here five minutes?"

"Well it wasn't like I could shoot them right in the middle, he's an alien we don't know what happens if they stop halfway through." He shrugged.

"True, doesn't mean you stand there and watch. God, are you really that desperate?"

"It's been a long time. Besides they were watching me, it was…. weird." He shuddered a little. "Right let's get these two separated. Again."

"Third time lucky?"

"I hope so Martha, I really hope so."

XxXxX

The Doctor groaned as his muscles protested against movement. Sleepily he reached for the woman that had caused such over use only she wasn't there. Cracking an eye he noted he was back in his bedroom.

"Deja vu and unconsciousness aren't as much fun as they used to be," he complained. Realising he was his normal self he knew he had to make the most of it. "Jack!" he yelled hoping the TARDIS would relay his message to the Time Agent. "Keep an eye on Rose,"

"I'm here Doc," Jack stood in the bedroom doorway tranquiliser gun pointed at the alien.

The Doctor took a deep breath and sat up on the bed. "Rose, the minute she stops being submissive, gah!" he clamped his hands to the sides of his head as he yelled out in pain. "It's like an illness….it's spreading, minute Rose becomes dominant there's no reaching her. She won't be able to control it at all, she's not strong enough."

"What do I do Doc? Where do I start?"

"Search the sky. Now run."

Jack frowned then noticed the change in the Doctor's demeanour, he was more upright than normal, his face was becoming harder and Jack understood why the Doctor had told him to run.

"You shot me Jack, run!" the last word was a growl as he lost control.

Jack didn't hesitate a moment longer, shutting the door behind him Jack headed for the control room.

XxXxX

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

"Everything okay?" Martha asked as Jack dashed for the control panel.

"He's awake. He said to search the skies right before he told me to run."

"Run?"

"Well to be fair I did shoot him. He's still in there Martha he's just coming out less and less. It's a bit Jekyll and Hyde, only Hyde is winning the battles.

"So what are we searching for?"

"Anything alien."

"Why didn't we do that before?"

"I did, there wasn't anything. I dunno, maybe the Doctor can sense something getting closer or whatever it is that's infected him and Rose has given something away to him." He began tapping away at the keyboard as his phone rang. "Harkness."

" _Jack? Just thought I'd phone and see how things were."_

"Gwen now really isn't a good time."

" _Is everything alright?"_

"After a fashion, depends on what you mean by alright."

" _What's wrong this time?"_

"Oh nothing, just a case of Jekyll and Hyde on the good ship TARDIS." Jack looked at Martha and sighed. She was giving him that look, the one that told him to ask for help.

"You know he's not going to stay locked up for long," she reminded him.

"Gwen get Tosh and Ianto to search the skies for anything unusual. Ship, signals anything. The TARDIS is working on it but there are something's she just won't translate."

" _Jack what's going on?"_

"Rose and the Doctor are ill. Something's sending them crazy."

" _Jekyll and Hyde?"_ Gwen confirmed.

"Right."

" _You guys really like finding trouble don't you?"_

"Not really, it seems to find us."

" _Do you need help?"_

Jack looked at Martha who just raised her eyebrows.

"What do we do when he comes looking for Rose again?" she asked.

"We keep him away. I'll make him come after me, anything we just have to keep them apart."

"We can't keep hiding Rose from him, it doesn't work."

"It buys us time," Jack growled, staring aimlessly at the monitor.

"For what? All it does is make him angry and more determined to find her. It doesn't help us really does it?" Martha could hear her voice getting louder.

"I'm trying Martha, but without the Doctor I'm still flapping in the breeze until we find whatever is in the sky and even then I don't know if we can stop it."

She could hear the badly hidden distress in his voice and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him.

" _Then let us help you Jack. You're not on your own in this,"_ Gwen assured him.

"Can I get back to you on that one?"

" _You're safe right?"_

"Honestly? I don't know. Martha and I are keeping them separate at the minute. It won't last long though. It's like trying to keep vengeful God's apart, will move heaven and earth to find each other." Absently he pressed a kiss to the top of Martha's head

" _I think some of us should come down and help you."_

"No, no we'll come to you, if I can get the TARDIS to fly. She keeps letting the Doctor loose so I'm not sure how she'll behave."

"I hope you have your running shoes on," Martha whispered nodding to the corridor. They could hear the Doctor's muted footsteps echoing down the hall.

"Took his sweet time," Jack muttered. "Gwen, I'm going to try and come to you, have the portable cell and anti-weevil clamps ready. If we can get close enough to the pair of them we might be able to use them. I'm going to see if I can lose him in the corridors for a while. Gwen; gotta run honey, literally."

" _Be careful."_

"Martha," he pulled back from her and took her by the shoulders, "remember what I said, stay close to the doors and if you have to, leave and hide."

Martha nodded moving round the consol so that it was between her and the corridor. "Be careful Jack." Her voice wavered slightly with worry.

"Oh Jaaacccck," the Doctor's voice sang through the air. "You're playing hide and seek with someone else's property. That's not friendly. Neither is shooting me. So I'm going to give you to the count of ten to run and hide before I come to find you. And you are not going to like my prize when I do."

XxXxX

Jack ran turning corner after corner putting as much distance between him and the Doctor as possible. The TARDIS had ignored his co-ordinates. He could no longer control her, it was like she too was infected, just like the Doctor and Rose. But if he could get enough of a head start he could teleport to Torchwood without the Doctor suspecting and get help. Martha was right; they couldn't do this on their own.

"Oh Jaaaackk. You can run but you can't hiiiiide." The Doctor's voice sang along the corridor, seemingly closer every second. How did the Doctor keep up such a speed without losing breath? Jack tried to pump his legs harder whilst programming his teleporter but he found himself flagging.

"There you are Captain."

Jack froze but not with fear. One minute he was running then he was frozen to the spot but completely aware of everything around him, including the Doctor giggling behind him.

"Getting slow in your old age Jack. Although you're infinitely younger than me." The Doctor rounded to the front and stood nose to nose with the former Time Agent. "Well, I say infinitely but that would be impossible wouldn't it? Infinite is without end and you're about what? Seven hundred years younger than me? That's not infinite is it? Still you'd think that you'd have figured out that annoying a Time Lord is a very bad idea." He grinned as he saw a mild panic flicker across Jack's eyes. "Well I'm going to leave you now, wondering what I've done to you. Ta ta!"

With that the Doctor disappeared down the corridor leaving Jack suspended mid-stride.

XxXxX

Jack had been gone for what seemed like hours and Martha didn't know whether to be relieved or worried. She was definitely relieved that the Doctor hadn't come for her but she was worried that she hadn't heard from either of them. She didn't like being scared of the Doctor. Would he really hurt her?

"Hello Martha."

Looking up she saw the Doctor standing in the doorway, hands stuffed in his pockets. He'd changed his suit which made him look even more like a stranger. Gone were his friendly brown and blue suits. In their place was a black pinstripe suit with a black shirt and a shocking red tie. Martha didn't think she'd ever seen the Doctor look so sinister.

"Now then you and I need to have a little chat wouldn't you say? But first I need to claim my girl, again." He looked at the repair hatch under the control panel.

Martha took her chance to sidle towards the doors.

"Uh, uh, uuhh! Martha Jones, where do you think you're going?"

"What did you do to Jack?"

"Jack's fine, he's just a bit….. slow off the mark." His eyes narrowed as they focussed on her and she felt like everything was speeding up around her, everything except the Doctor. He moved to her side. "Bad idea annoying someone who can control time and space wouldn't you say?" he crowed circling her. "It's a form of suspended animation; you are moving just a thousand times slower than the world around you, such a wonderful thing." He winked before walking back over to the repair hatch and pulling it open. "Rosie?"

The Doctor disappeared from sight below the control panel, climbing down the ladder to the switch room.

XxXxX

Gwen looked up as Jack appeared in the middle of the hub.

"What the?" Owen walked towards his colleague with mild amusement. "Where'd he come from?"

"Is he running?" Gwen asked, getting up from her seat.

"He was."

"Is he alive?" Ianto asked rushing towards Jack and stopping in front of him, looking for signs of life.

Then without warning Jack ran straight into him, knocking them both to the floor with a grunt.

"Sorry, you okay?" He panted, staring down at Ianto.

"Fine, Sir. You?"

"Never better."

"Glad to hear it, Sir," Ianto breathed staring up at Jack.

After a few moments Jack pulled himself off his man and sat heavily on the floor.

"What was that?" Owen asked crouching down, looking Jack over.

"Suspended animation. Doc still has a few tricks hidden."

"The Doctor did that? What did you do, flirt one too many times?"

"He's not himself so I sort of shot him and hid Rose."

"Woah, woah. You shot him?"

"Relax it was a tranquiliser. Like I said, he isn't himself. Neither is Rose which is why I'm here. They're ill."

"How are you here?" Gwen asked.

"My wristcom has a teleporter. I'd set it with a delay hoping to run round the corner and disappear out of the Doc's view so he'd carry on chasing blindly down corridors. Unfortunately he's faster than I thought and caught up with me before I could teleport here."

"And he put you in suspended animation?"

"Right. Must've taken a while for my body to catch up once I left the TARDIS."

"I take it you couldn't get the TARDIS here?" Gwen surmised.

"No. Looks like we're on our own while the Doctor and Rose are loco. The old girl doesn't want to play nice; she's too fond of them to do anything against them."

"Just as well you've got us then."

"I need that por …." Before he'd even finished his sentence Owen dropped a small box onto the floor.

"One step ahead of you. Moment you came close to admitting you might need help Gwen called me. So what's the plan?"

"I go back to the TARDIS and catch them both in the portable cell, tie them up with the weevil clamps and pray it all holds until I find the solution. I've got to get back. I've left Martha alone with a mental Time Lord and Bad Wolf."

"Bad Wolf? THE Bad Wolf?" Ianto finally broke his silence.

"Yeah, Rose is Bad Wolf. Long story and I really don't have time. If he gets bored on board god knows what he'll do."

"I'm coming with you," Owen told him, face set and determined. "You can take more than one on that thing right?"

"Yeah but,"

"I might be able to help. At the moment it's two on two, right? Well the way I see it you could use some extra muscle."

Jack started to laugh.

"Oi! Okay I might not be as strong as you but I've got the brains and you said they're ill. Seems to me you could use all the help you can get."

"I'm coming too," Gwen announced. "I'm no good here, at least I can try to help you and Martha and I know how to fire a gun."

"You're never going to let this lie if I leave you behind are you?"

"Nope," Gwen and Owen answered in unison.

"Ianto, can you continue the scans? Phone if you find anything at all. Right, this isn't going to be a comfortable ride so you have been warned. I've never travelled with three fully grown adults." He looked Owen up and down. "Well almost fully grown."

"Oi! Don't push your luck or I might just find myself helping the deranged Time Lord. So what should we expect?"

"A randy pair inviting you to join in the fun."

"Sounds like my kind of enemy. What's the problem?"

"When they get bored they could end up destroying the universe."

XxXxX


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, anyone still reading? If I’ve missed any tags then let me know X  
> —————————————————

The Doctor peered through the darkened switch room looking for his mate.

"Ooo, chains this time. He meant business," he said as he pulled out his Sonic Screwdriver to release Rose, pulling a cloth from her mouth. "Shame it didn't work."

"Not when you've got the Screwdriver but what if I take it away and use them on you?" Rose grinned, her tongue poking between her teeth.

"Sounds like _you've_ got big plans this time round."

"Maybe I have, you'll just have to wait and see."

"I'm not a very patient person."

"It'll be worth the wait," she purred looking him over. "New suit, I like it."

"Felt like a change," he shrugged. "Come on; time to deal with Tweedledum and Dumber, this game of hide and seek is getting old."

Rose giggled as she ascended the ladder, the Doctor following close behind.

"Are there she is, right where I left her."

"What's up with her?" Rose circled the seemingly frozen Martha.

"She's sort of suspended in time. Didn't want her wandering off now did I? I'd have needed her if the locks on your chains were deadlock sealed."

"Smarty pants, so are we going to leave her like that?"

"I'll speed her back up, but I don't know why I should. She has a nasty streak you know."

"Don't we all?" Rose shrugged.

"You didn't have to live with it for as long as I did. You see that's the thing Martha Jones." He stepped towards his former companion, his voice quiet and dangerous. Almost feral. She could see the clouds swirling behind his eyes like a tornado. "Month after month with your snide remarks and your sarcastic tone," he stepped closer still, backing her up against the wall, all the while his body looking casual, with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Rose moved beside them, watching her lover intimidate the girl with interest.

"It was always how _you_ felt when I thought about Rose, when I was reminded of her, when I wasn't bouncing around with you as the centre of attention for all of five minutes. Did you ever once consider how I was feeling? How I was dying inside? No, you just nursed your crush, letting it grow. Trying to turn me into something I'm not. That Martha Jones is why this little game of yours is pointless." He was standing nose to nose with her now. She could feel his breath on her cheek as he leant to whisper in her ear, pinning her to a pillar with nothing but his tone. "You see, each time you hide Rose Tyler you just present me with a challenge, and you know how I love a challenge. Tell ya what though, you keep turning her into a damsel in distress and she's gona wear me out with gratitude. But what better way to regenerate than with a huge smile on my face." He pulled back and gave what Martha thought was meant to be a smile but instead it looked like a sneer. She could feel herself trembling against the pillar, her knees ready to give way.

"But the real point of it all is, Martha Jones; you couldn't handle me even if I had given you a chance."

"Oh no?" Her voice was shaky but defiant.

"You don't believe me?" The smirk was back and she wanted to slap him as he looked at Rose and saw the heat in her eyes, and then back to Martha but all thoughts ceased as his lips descended on hers. He seemed to be sucking her life force away from her as she struggled to stand. Her brain was just connecting with the rest of her body, readying her to make any kind of response when he pulled away chuckling. "Like I said; no chance at all." Reaching for Rose's hand he bounced over to the control panel and started the engines, sparing a look over at Martha as he suspended all her movement once more.

"Where are we going?" Rose asked, practically bouncing.

"Anywhere, I'm bored out of my mind! Somewhere fun. Let's go and watch something explode!"

"Wait around long enough and it might be earth!" she giggled.

"Does Rose Tyler have an idea to make life more fun?"

"She might. Let's see if the spirit in the sky will talk to us shall we?"

XxXxX

"Wow! That was really painful," Owen moaned stumbling forward as the three appeared in Jack's quarters.

"Home, sweet home," Jack sighed. "She's moving."

"Where to?" Gwen asked.

"How am I supposed to know? I'm here with you."

"Sorry, stupid question," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean it to come out that way."

"So what's the plan?"

"I haven't really had a chance to work that one out. But what ever we do we have to keep them busy. So we need to find out what they're up to right now."

"Would be a good place to start," Owen surmised, not bothering to hide his sarcasm.

"Don't start Owen or I'll throw you to Bad Wolf."

"I think he'd enjoy that," Gwen told him.

"Maybe but Bad Wolf isn't in charge yet and I know he wouldn't like the Doctor's…" Jack stalled and moved closer to the door, indicating for them to keep quiet. Flattening himself against the wall he peered out a crack in the door.

Rose was giggling, pulling the Doctor along by a chain around his neck.

"Looks like they're off for some fun on their own," Owen whispered once they were out of view.

"Follow them. Make sure they don't make it back to the control room."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have an idea. Gwen you're with me, you're about to learn the inner workings of a Gallifreyan space ship."

XxXxX

"We're just hovering, why's he doing that?"

"Uh Jack," Gwen called impatiently from Martha's side.

"Right, sorry." Jack joined them and bent to look into Martha's eyes. "Hello, don't panic too much, it'll wear off soon. Owen's keeping an eye on them. We're going to be fine," he told her before kissing her forehead and heading back to the monitor. "If only we knew why he's hovering here. We're not even in outer space; we're just above normal flight paths."

"Maybe he's looking for something," Gwen suggested, following behind.

"That's what worries me. What's he looking for?"

"There, in the corner of the screen, what's that?"

"I don't see anything."

"I could've sworn… never mind, must be a trick of the light."

"Thank god!" Martha exclaimed as she finally managed to move.

"Welcome back!" Jack grinned enveloping her in a hug as she joined them at the monitor. "You okay?"

"I am now. God he's really mean when he wants to be!"

"After 900 years of fighting monsters, losing people with no real support, that's enough to drive most people mad. Be grateful it hasn't happened before now or you probably wouldn't exist, none of us would." He looked her over. "Did he hurt you?"

"Only my feelings." She shook her head when he looked at her questioningly. "Doesn't matter. It's not him really is it? He's ill, they both are. Oh and Rose is playing dominatrix this time round."

"Fantastic. That's what he warned me about. He said once Rose is dominant there'll be no reaching her. He's trying to get us on the right track, there's just never enough time to give us more than warnings and telling us to run."

"They were trying to make contact with something. Rose said 'the spirit in the sky'?"

"Anything else?"

"Nothing useful."

"You're sure?"

"Unless you count dirty talk, groping and giggling as important in this instance. No."

"Treated to an audience too were you?"

"I think they forgot I was even here."

"Lucky you. Wonder how Owen's getting on," Jack said, unable to hide his smile.

XxXxX

Owen stood at the door. The pair hadn't even managed to close it properly before Rose had attacked the Doctor, stripping his suit and chaining him to a chair, leaving Owen with a perfect view.

Rose had begun to strip her own clothing piece by piece in what Owen thought to be an agonisingly slow manner.

The Doctor only spoke when Rose told him to and when he did Owen was shocked to hear a Scottish brogue. It was like watching a pair of strangers, which he supposed it was; after all he didn't know them that well. In fact he was sure he didn't know them well enough to be watching this but he was unable to look away. It was like there was some magnetic energy keeping him there. That or he was just more perverse than he'd ever imagined.

"Looks like we have an audience," Rose called over her shoulder looking directly at Owen. "What should we do Dr McCrimmon?"

"Care to join us Dr Harper or are you more of a voyeur?"

Owen's mouth flapped as he tried to find something to say.

"Looks like we're going to have to put my little game on hold," she pouted. Leaning down she bit the Doctor's bottom lip and he growled. "What?"

He nodded over at the man in the doorway, gazing at Rose's backside.

"Ooo, possessive aren't we?" Sauntering over to the door she opened it wider, grabbed Owen and dragged him inside. "Stay!" she ordered pushing him onto the bed.

"Sorry love, rain check," the Doctor told Rose.

Nodding she unlocked the handcuffs that held him to the chair. As he stood he grabbed for her and pulled her against him, kissing her roughly.

Owen silently got to his feet ready to make a run for it.

"No you don't!" the Time Lord called between kisses. "Stay right there. We have to take you back to your Master, wouldn't want you to get lost now would we?" Wicked grins spread across the lover's faces as they looked over at him. "These interruptions are getting tedious."

XxXxX

Jack and the girls looked up as they heard footsteps approaching.

"Lost a playmate Captain?" a fully dressed Rose asked yanking on a chain.

Owen fell through the door, helped by a shove from the Doctor. He had been stripped down to his underwear which had been replaced by what they could only assume was one of Rose's thongs. Round his neck was a collar which was attached to the chain Rose was holding and in his mouth was some kind of bar attached to a harness around his head. Jack didn't even want to think about where the Doctor and Rose got such and item.

"Owen, you alright?" he asked keeping his eyes on the Time Lord as he crossed over to the control panel and set some co-ordinates.

"What are you doing?" Martha asked.

"Rose and I are bored waiting around so we're off to have some fun. You lot can stay here."

Rose grinned and wrapped Owen's chain around one of the metal safety poles, leaving him crouched, trying to preserve as much of his modesty as possible.

"Right then. We're off. Don't try anything stupid, the TARDIS won't listen to you anyway." The Doctor bounded over to the doors. "Ta-ta folks. Don't do anything I would do!"

"Doesn't leave much," Rose sniggered.

"Now that was just too cliché Rose Tyler."

"Oh and your line wasn't?" she retorted giving him a light shove through the open door, slamming it behind her.

"Where are we?" Gwen asked, still rooted to the spot. She'd never seen Owen looked so vulnerable and she was shocked, unsure whether to go to him or not.

Jack grabbed his coat from the rack by the front door and wrapped it round his friend's shoulders.

"The monitor's not showing anything," Martha told them.

"It won't," Jack sighed. "She only works for the Doctor and Rose at the moment." He reached round the back of Owen's head and undid the harness. "You hurt?"

"No although how women wear these things is beyond me." Owen said shakily. "Thanks for the coat, its bloody freezing."

"Wana take 'em off?" he nodded to Owen's lap.

"You just want to peek don't you?"

"Oh come on, it's not like we haven't seen it before."

"Ms Jones hasn't."

"Ashamed Mr. Harper?" Martha called, not bothering to hide her smile.

"Is that a challenge?"

"It's nothing I haven't seen before I'm sure."

"Oh really?" Owen was on his feet now, hands planted firmly on hips.

"Really, I'm a med student."

Owen was about to respond when a yell from Jack halted them all.

"Bastard's locked us in!" He ran to the other side of the control room and into the corridor. "Damn it! Hope no one is claustrophobic." his voice echoed off the walls.

"What is it?" Martha followed him. The corridor was now nothing more than a cupboard.

"He's shut off the rest of the TARDIS from us. We're stuck in the control room."

XxXxX


	6. Chapter 6

"I can't believe they locked us in!" Martha complained.

"What do you think they're doing?" Gwen asked.

"Each other probably," Owen muttered.

"Owen!"

"Well it's true. They're probably having great fun!"

"That's what worries me," Jack said, standing and rolling his shoulders.

"How much damage can he do without the TARDIS?" Owen asked.

"Too much. He destroyed Torchwood remember? He didn't use the TARDIS for that."

"Yeah but he had help."

"He had Rose," Jack sighed. "Torchwood staff were being killed on sight. Rose's family crossed the void to the other universe and the Doctor sent her with them. Rose on the other hand had other ideas. She crossed back and helped him open the void. A Time Lord and a human girl saved the universe using their intelligence and a few computers. Imagine what those brains could do without a conscience."

XxXxX

"How come we've never been here before?" Rose enquired looking for her next bout of fun.

"Never got round to it I suppose. Right we've got about ooo, twenty minutes until the neighbouring planet explodes so where next?"

"Ooo that one!" She took off at a sprint leaving the Doctor chuckling in her wake as he jogged to catch up.

"Are you sure? You've had a lot of candy floss, wouldn't want to see it all again really, if you don't mind."

"I'll be fine, I promise!"

"On your head."

"Actually it'll be all over the poor bloke below or behind." Rose grinned, her tongue poking out between her teeth.

"That was an image I could have done without thank you very much." The Doctor raised an eyebrow as a smile crept across his lips.

"What do you suppose they think we're up to?"

"Destroying the universe probably."

"And we're not because?"

"I'm not going to out of my way to destroy the universe. In fact destroying the universe would be counter productive; after all we exist in this universe. Destroy this one and we destroy ourselves. Now a rather pointless Galaxy on the other hand is a whole different story."

"Is there a Galaxy that is useful then?"

"Um…. Well not useful as such, but definitely entertaining. Anyway I want to know what that lot in Earth's atmosphere are up to first. Plus I like the tension it causes. Destroying something is always more fun when there's a build-up. Like a rollercoaster in fact. You always have the little drop before the stomach churning one, otherwise there's not as much excitement because they think it's all over."

Rose grabbed his hand and pulled him into the rollercoaster car with an excited giggle.

XxXxX

"Three hours!" Owen whined. "It's been three hours!"

"Will you shut up!" Jack snapped. He'd managed to keep quite through Owen's continuous moaning but now he was at his wits end. "We know; you are not the only one stuck here! No one forced you to come; I gave you the option of staying in Cardiff. I should have shot them again regardless."

"Shot them?" Gwen shifted.

"Tranquilisers," he explained.

"Why didn't you?"

"They can cause all sorts of damage up here if used too often." He tapped his temple. "They're not exactly normal tranquilisers and they're definitely not from Earth. Given the current stability of their minds I thought it'd be best not to." He looked back over at the front doors and glared at them, as if they would just fly open with one look.

"Why don't you just teleport out of here? Find out where we are?" Martha asked.

"What good would it do? I don't know that I'd be able to get back in and it's not exactly a refined science as to where I land."

"Sounds like the TARDIS," she muttered. "What were you two doing under there anyway?" She looked up at Jack and Gwen.

"Recon; trying to see if there's a way to override the system."

"And is there?"

"I could probably ground her for a while but it wouldn't take his Lordship long to fix it. Besides, the way she's behaving she'd probably shock me if I even tried, which means we're going to have to resort to plan z."

"Which is?" Gwen asked.

"Last resort. We need our Doctor back to solve this, which means we need to get rough." He looked at Owen, hoping they were on the same wave length.

The control panel started beeping and Jack rushed to the monitor. "Why am I even looking? She's never going to tell me what she's found."

The front door banged open and the Doctor and Rose practically fell through them, giggling hysterically.

"I can't believe you did that!" he gasped, wiping his eyes.

"What? He asked!"

"I think it was a rhetorical question."

"A what?"

The Doctor shook his head and laughed. "Never mind."

"Had a good time did you?" Owen snarled.

"Still cold are you?" Rose nodded to Owen's crotch as his coat fell open.

"Ooo, signal!" The Doctor bounded over to the monitor and frowned.

"What is it?" Rose asked peering over his shoulder.

"She can't translate it. The signal is some kind of communication and she can't translate it."

"Ooo shades of Krop Tor! She couldn't translate the writing up there either. Doesn't that mean its like really, really old?"

"Impossibly old."

"I'm pretty sure you said that last time."

"We'll give her a little time to work on it. In the mean time," he turned to face Rose and raised an eyebrow, "I believe we took a rain-check earlier."

"Mmm, I think you might be right." Rose grinned and took his hands, walking backwards towards the corridor.

Martha looked up at Jack and he nodded.

The four watched the Time Lord and his companion walk through the doorway into a suddenly accessible corridor.

"Let's go," Jack hissed, reaching into his pocket.

Owen nodded and stepped up behind him, following closely as they stuck close to the walls. Martha and Gwen picked up the tranquilisers and slid along behind.

"Now."

On Jack's whispered command Owen threw the portable cell across the floor, aiming it to stop just in front of pair. One the shield was up the four launched themselves at Rose and the Doctor, pinning them to the floor.

"Get some chairs!" Jack yelled as he fastened the last camp round the Doctor's wrists with Owen's help as Gwen struggled to keep Rose under control.

"Now Jack, I always knew you were a little kinky but aren't you meant to strip your victims for bondage?" the Doctor teased, enjoying the uncomfortable look that flashed across his face as they wrenched him into one of the computer chairs Martha had recovered.

"Stop it," Jack growled.

"Oh come on Jack, we both know this isn't about saving the universe from me and Rose, it's about saving me and Rose for yourself. If you wanted to join in that badly you could have just asked, we'd have come and found you earlier. Rose had handcuffs and blindfolds. You'd have loved it. Wouldn't he Owen?"

Owen narrowed his eyes at the pair but said nothing.

"Shut it. Owen, grab Rose and follow me. Gwen, Martha; stay close with those tranquilisers."

"Oh how original!" the Doctor moaned. "Admit it Jack, you're just sore you're not the one playing dirty."

"Where are we going?" Rose asked as she was wheeled down the corridor but she was met with silence.

XxXxX

Rose squealed and the Doctor hissed as the icy water cascaded over their heads. The Doctor's face seemed to relax with each passing second as he tilted his head upwards into the spray then his body began to slump with a contented sigh.

"You okay Doctor?" Martha watched him closely.

"Mmm,"

"Torchwood found a big ship. Refuses to make contact with us but its huge and hiding in the clouds," Owen told him nervously.

Jack stepped closer, ignoring the spattering of water that was hitting him and watched the Doctor intently.

"Disguised or just parked?" the Doctor asked.

"Disguised, invisible but the scanners gave Tosh a few possibilities. You know this stuff is easier with you sane," Jack told him.

"Wishing you were back at Torchwood, Captain?" the Doctor looked at Jack finally.

Jack raised his eyebrow, _'as if, you won't get rid of me that easily old man'._

The Doctor smiled as he heard Jack's voice in his head. _'Oi, less of the 'old man', pup.'_

"They didn't even know there was anything there until I contacted them," the Time Agent told him.

"Doesn't surprise me. Not often you lot look past the end of your nose," he offered a small smile, letting them know he was teasing before his gaze settled on Gwen and Owen. "You know every time I see you lot something has always gone wrong or is about to go wrong," the Doctor chuckled.

"True, but it's very entertaining. And I would've paid to have been there when you invited Owen to join you and Rose," Jack told him with glee.

"Huh?" Martha looked at them.

The Doctor looked at Rose under the spray completely mortified.

"Forgotten that had you?" she asked trying to hide the amusement in her voice. She knew that he would be blushing furiously if they were not sat under freezing cold water and she was almost positive the Doctor would be keeping his clothes on and his hands to himself, once this was over, for a very long time. Rose on the other hand had to admit, if only to herself, that she wasn't all that embarrassed by the fact Jack had stood and watched them, or that Owen had seen them or that they'd tied each other up. She'd enjoyed it and she knew she'd enjoy it again given the chance.

"Now if I let you guys loose do you promise not to leave the shower until its safe?" Jack asked.

"Uh Jack?" The Doctor lifted his arms and dropped his restraints on the shower floor.

"You mean you could get free the whole time?"

The Time Lord nodded.

"Then why didn't you?" Martha asked.

"And how did you?"

"Just a tip when restraining a Time Lord; take away the Sonic Screwdriver." He flipped said item in his hand before reaching over to free Rose. "As for why, well I was sort of enjoying it," he shrugged sheepishly, "Moving swiftly on, Jack get print outs of all the ships the TARDIS can match its outline to. Also we need printouts of any readings or signals it's sending that might help us narrow it down."

"She's not listening to me, wouldn't even take me to Cardiff."

"She will now, as long as I stay here. She feeds off me and vice-versa."

"Yeah I kinda figured that's why she had the attitude."

"Ooo, the TARDIS giving Captain Jack lip aye? Blimey, never thought I'd see the day you couldn't charm a living thing to do exactly as you want," Rose teased, shivering slightly.

"That's because, despite the act, she likes me better," the Doctor grinned. "Go on, quicker you get those printouts the better for us. It's bloody freezing under here." To emphasise his point he bounced up and down, his arms planted firmly across his chest.

"On it." Jack jogged out of the Doctor's bathroom.

"I have a question, why didn't we dump you in the shower before?" Gwen asked.

"Leaving anyone in an ice cold shower for any real length of time is a last resort," Owen informed them before the Doctor could speak. "Jack was hoping to find an answer before it came to this."

"Is it dangerous for you?" Gwen asked and Owen scoffed.

"After a while it won't be ideal," Martha said. "If the Doctor can suffer from hypothermia we don't know how it will affect him, do we?"

"Nope, never had it, although I can manage minus 200 for, ooo how long was it? Ten seconds?" he said proudly. "Wait, since when did you two answer questions meant for me?"

"Didn't you go down with the Titanic once?" Rose asked.

"Well, sort of, I escaped by clinging to the side of the iceberg."  
"And you didn't get sick?"

"No. Rose will suffer more probably. She has some Gallifreyan biology but she still has a higher body temperature so hypothermia will be a bigger risk for her before me. Hopefully we won't be in here long enough for that to happen but I need you to keep and eye on her vitals Owen." He pulled off his suit jacket and wrapped round Rose's shoulders before pulling her close trying to ward some of the cold away.

"How do I do that? I can't exactly put electrical items in there with you."

"Go to the Medbay. The TARDIS keeps track on people's vitals no matter where they are. Just scroll through until you find my bathroom."

"Right and the Medbay is…?"

"Martha why don't you go and help Owen find his way around?"

Martha nodded and left, Owen in tow.

"I'll go help Jack," Gwen excused herself; silently praying she'd be able to find her way back to the control room.

"You okay?" the Doctor asked, stooping to look in Rose's eyes. Relief spread through him when he saw no swirling clouds.

"Cold but okay. So you like being restrained huh?" she giggled.

"Depends on who's doing the restraining." He winked at her.

"Oh really?" Rose couldn't hide the shock in her voice.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"Well I just thought that you would….." her voice trailed off.

"I'd what?" He frowned, searching Rose's face.

"That you'd stay away from me and pretend it never happened."

"Why would I do that? Okay so asking Jack and Owen to join us might have been going a bit far but I enjoyed the rest of it."

"Really?"

"I'd say come with me and I'll show you but leaving the shower is a bad idea and the cold water is doing nothing for my….ego."

Rose giggled. "I didn't realise you had a kinky side."

"Just waiting for the right time to tell you."

She looked at him sceptically and he grinned.

"Alright then, how does this grab you?" He brushed his fingers against her temples and watched her eyes widen before she grabbed his face and pulled him in for a searing kiss.

"Okay," she panted when she finally pulled away. "I believe you. Bloody hell it's cold in here. Can't we warm the water up, just a little?"

The Doctor looked over at the controls and studied them for a moment, making calculations in his head. Rose loved to watch him when he was being 'brainy'; she loved it more when he had his glasses on though.

"A few degrees, nothing more. We need to keep cool heads, literally otherwise we're out of control."

Rose nodded and shivered as the Doctor stepped away from her to adjust the controls. "Anything. Tell ya what though, I'm starving!"

"Probably because you're cold." He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him again, "Now that they're all distracted, how 'bout we find something to take our minds off the temperature?" Reaching behind her, he fiddled with the radio. "That's better." He beamed at her as music filled the shower room, a wicked glint in his eye.

Rose grinned and kissed him.

XxXxX


	7. Chapter 7

"Is it just me or are the brain waves changing?" Martha asked, pointing at the monitor

"They are changing," Owen confirmed.

"Good change or bad change?"

"They're happy."

"How can you tell?"

"Different part of his brain sends out signals depending on what he's feeling. I noticed that last time I patched him up. He's happy."

"But if he's happy…."

The pair looked at each other.

"I don't think I want to look. I got a real eyeful last time."

"Do yourself a favour Owen; never compare yourself to the Lord of Time. Come on, we need to know if they're still on our side or not." Martha walked out of the med-bay.

"Fine, but if they're naked again…." he grumbled, following her out.

"You'll do what?"

"I hadn't thought that far."

XxXxX

Jack heard the commotion in the corridor, "I don't like the sound of that." He and Gwen ran for the Doctor's room meeting Martha and Owen on the way. "What's going on?"

"We're not sure. The Doctor's brain waves are changing," Martha told him.

"Changing how?"

"He suddenly got really happy," Owen sighed.

"And you thought you'd go get another look?"

"Nope, once was enough for me thanks. We thought maybe they'd switched sides again."

"Right." Jack stormed into the Doctor's bathroom and stopped in his tracks. "What the…?"

"What are you doing?" Martha couldn't help but laugh.

"Dancing, more fun than jogging on the spot," the Doctor said simply as he spun Rose away from him.

"Okay but why?"

"Warm us up a bit."

"Is this why you have such a big bathroom?" Jack grinned.

"Rule one, Jack. Always know how to impress your girl."

"Well at least it's dancing in the literal sense this time."

"I'd ask if you wanted to cut in but its bloody cold under here." Rose told him as she spun back to the Doctor.

"Maybe next time Rosie. As long as you're both still on side I'm happy."

"So that's why you came charging in?" the Doctor asked.

"Your brain waves changed and we didn't want to take any chances," Owen told them.

"Quite right too. Got anything for me Jack?"

"Wana rephrase that Doc? Considering recent behaviour and all." The Time Agent grinned at his friend.

"Have you got anything of interest for me?"

"Plenty but now's hardly the time."

Rose chuckled, enjoying the moment of silliness that was passing between her friend and her lover. "Jack, be serious for a minute, please?"

"Fine, fine. Spoil sport." He reached in his pocket and pulled out a screwed up piece of paper. "Sorry was in a hurry when it printed," he explained trying to straighten it out against his knee before holding it up for the Doctor to inspect.

Everyone stood in silence, watching for any kind of reaction.

"It can't be….." The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, slicking it away from his face, blinking the water away from his eyelashes. "I need to get to the monitor."

"But you said you had to stay here," Martha pointed out.

"I know ….." The Doctor's voice became inaudible as he began to mutter to himself.

Jack looked at Rose as the Time Lord then began to pace in the shower, tugging at his hair, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Is he talking to himself or us?" Owen whispered.

"Neither," Jack replied.

"He's talking to the TARDIS." Rose smiled.

"He's talking to the ship?"

"She's as alive as you and me. Unfortunately none of us speak Gallifreyan and she won't translate unless she has to, so we're not in on the conversation."

"If we can't understand him how do we know he's actually on our side?" Owen asked.

"How do we know you aren't likely to try and kill us?" the Doctor said darkly. "We have to trust one another. And trust me when I say that you may have helped Jack rescue me and patched me up, but that doesn't mean I like or trust you and I would rather you weren't here at all. However you are here and so far today you haven't fatally shot anyone so that's a good start don't you think?"

Rose put her hand on the Doctor's arm, concerned at the annoyance and bluntness he was showing.

Martha glanced at Owen and took a side step closer to Jack.

"Sorry, trying to speak to the TARDIS about something sensible is hard enough without him whittering on."

"So what were you two love birds chatting about?" Rose asked with a smile.

"We were….love birds?" He frowned at her then waved the distraction away. "We were trying to find a way of getting me to the control room without warming up."

"And?"

"Well the closest she can get it is….." he pointed towards his bedroom.

"Wait….what?" Owen walked out of the bathroom.

"Oh…the TARDIS can move its rooms," Jack declared proudly a huge grin gracing his face. "One minute you'll be in a nice warm bath in your own private bathroom, the next you'll be in a nice warm bath in the middle of the common room right in front of the t.v with all your bits on display. That bit isn't so fun, especially when she turns the heat down."

"Well if you kept yourself covered when you climbed out your bits wouldn't be on display would they?" Rose reminded him.

"Well what am I supposed to do? Stay in there 'til she decides to put me back?"

"You could let us get a towel first."

"Sorry to break up this highly entertaining moment, I'm sure Martha, Owen and Gwen are really enthralled to hear how many times we've all seen Jack's….bits, but unfortunately I have a bigger problem."

"I hate it when you say that," Jack moaned.

"It's no barrel of laughs being the one to say it," the Doctor pointed out.

"So, what's the big bad?" Jack's earlier smile and humour had faded the instant he turned to look at the Doctor. He'd seen that look before when the Time Lord had to deliver bad news and he knew that the Doctor wasn't about to tell him the whole truth

"First things first. Rose and I need to get out of here or we'll be no use to anyone. Jack, I need you to get some things from the med-bay."

XxXxX

Jack returned with the chemicals the Doctor had listed.

"You sure this is going to work?" Rose asked as the Doctor filled a syringe with a violent orange concoction.

"You'll be fine, I promise. See you in a little while." He smiled at her and kissed her forehead as he pressed the needle into her arm. Within seconds she was limp in his arms. "Jack, take her somewhere warm and dry."

"What about you?" the Time Agent asked as he and Gwen heaved Rose from the shower, wrapping her in as many towels as they could find.

"I'll be following in a moment."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about you right now?" He stood facing the Doctor, hands planted firmly on his hips.

"Paranoid?"

"Know you too well. There's something you're not telling us. Is this dangerous?"

The Doctor looked at him for a moment and clicked his tongue. "Rose will be fine."

"But?" Gwen looked up at the Time Lord as she rubbed Rose's arms and back, trying to keep her warm.

"If the levels are off then it could cause a few problems for me."

"Oh she is so going to kill you for not telling her when she wakes up."

"There is no other way of stopping this Jack. Not for me. If I don't try this I'll have to grow gills and live in freezing cold water for the next god knows how many centuries, or be dangerously nuts and neither is a particularly appealing notion thank you very much."

"So what 'problems' are we talking here?"

"It depends on the levels of the toxins. Anything from Amnesia to complete mental shut down."

"Oh, not a wide spectrum then?"

"This mixture has to go through every single nook and hidey hole in our brains and flush out in intruder. Remember when you and Rose got into my brain before?"

Jack nodded. "Not fun."

"Exactly only I have to wait until its run its course. Rose will be fine, she only has 20 years of memories, the worst she'll have is a few bad dreams."

"Where as you have 900 years worth of memories that would make the devil cry," Jack sighed.

"It'll be fine," the Doctor assured him although feeling more that a little unconvinced himself. He was not looking forward to this one bit.

"How do you know? You didn't measure anything properly; you just threw it all in together!" Jack was growling now, not wanting to alert Owen and Martha in the make-shift control room.

"Jack you're forgetting one thing."

"What's that?"

The Doctor held the needle in place began to inject himself. "I'm brilliant!" He stumbled from the shower and into Jack.

"Damn fool. That's what you are," Jack huffed as he held the Doctor up. "Where to?" he asked as the Doctor began to lose control of his limbs.

"Fireplace."

XxXxX

Jack watched Rose and the Doctor as they slept on the sofa, Rose's head resting against the Doctor's chest. The fire in the hearth crackling as it warmed them. Between them Jack and Gwen had managed to change the pair into dry clothing and wrapped them in blankets before bundling them onto the sofa. Luckily the Doctor had managed to keep his head long enough to give Jack a hand, pulling Rose into his arms to keep her even warmer before dropping off.

"They okay?" Martha asked stepping up beside him.

"A few mumbles and twitches, usual bad dream stuff I guess. I mean, how are we supposed to know if it's going wrong? They've been knocked out so many times the last few hours I don't know how much more they can take."

"The Doctor knows what he's doing, right?"

Jack carried on staring at his friends, his jaw set. "I just hope he comes out of it with his mind in tact."

Martha stared at him for a moment and frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Some memories are enough to drive anyone insane, imagine being inside the Doctor's head with all those doors wide open and those memories pouring out. Millions of Daleks coming at you destroying your home, Cybermen appearing out of no where, monsters and aliens everywhere you go, 900 years of always doing the right thing no matter the cost to you. If he does come out unscathed it'll be a miracle."

"But it's not impossible? And even if it was, the Doctor likes impossible right?"

"One day there's going to be an impossible he can't fix."

"Like bringing Rose back?"

"He didn't do that."

"No, Torchwood did. What I mean is, if the Doctor can't do it, we'll have to do it for him. We have to trust he's going to be okay and if he's not we fix it. We've done it before, we can do it again."

Jack hoped she was right. He hoped the Doctor was right. The Doctor had never let them down before. Well, apart from leaving him on the satellite. He still couldn't get his head round the fact the Doctor was scared of him. Normally the Doctor was excited by things he didn't understand but something about Jack made the Doctor distrustful. He knew the Time Lord didn't mean to but Jack noticed it every now and then, a strange look, his reaction to Jack working at Torchwood. How the Doctor had spoken to him when he'd changed into his previous self, the Doctor's belief that Jack might actually have put them all in danger with the Time Agency. Trust was a hard thing to rebuild and although Jack was still cautious of his old friend he knew the Doctor would never willingly leave them unprotected. He knew the Doctor was as good, brilliant in fact with sticky situations, he could usually talk himself out of any spot long enough to formulate a plan and win but this was a whole new thing for Jack. The prospect of having the manic version of the Doctor around full time was more than he could bear. He watched the Doctor's hand unconsciously move against Rose's hair, smoothing it as she moved against him in her sleep. Jack just hoped the Doctor was a good with potions as he was with everything else.

XxXxX


	8. Chapter 8

Rose found herself standing in a huge cavernous room, like a church or a Cathedral. She peered through the glumness and followed the sound of voices.

Doctor and Martha were all dressed up. The Doctor looking smart in his tux and Martha looked gorgeous in her little black dress. Rose didn't know who the girl next to her was and there was a man wrapped in a blanket sat in the middle of the floor.

The Doctor was circling him as he spoke, no doubt formulating a plan.. "What about the other people who died?"  
"They were nothing. I changed the course of history."  
"Any of them might have done too. You think history's only made with equations? Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that."  
"No, Doctor. Avoiding death, that's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fibre of being."

There seemed to be a slight blip in her surroundings, like a recording skipping.

Rose had no idea who he was or why they were all there. She wished she could talk to them but she knew she was seeing the Doctor's memories again and she knew she could dance and scream as much as she liked, these were just replays no one would bat an eyelid. "I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one. In the end you just get tired. Tired of the struggle, tired of losing everyone that matters to you, tired of watching everything turn to dust." The Doctor couched beside him. "If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you'll end up alone."

Rose felt her throat tighten as the Doctor seemed to age with every word. He looked so weary and she had to wonder at what point he started to give up. Where in his timeline did this fall, before the Daleks or after?

The room around her began to twist and change. The walls changed into plaster and wood.

Martha was on the floor, the Doctor crouched beside her, scowling at the old hag by the window.

"... And as for you, Sir Doctor... fascinating. There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such despair? Oh, but look... there's still one word with the power of days..."  
"The naming won't work on me," he growled.

"But your heart grows cold; the North wind blows and carries down the distant... Rose..."

"Oh big mistake! Because that name keeps me fighting!" he was all but growling but it became a distant echo as the room faded and disappeared.

They were standing outside the TARDIS beside the Statue of Liberty.

"Do you reckon it's gonna work, those two?" Martha asked, staring out at the skyline.  
"I dunno. Anywhere else in the universe I might worry about but New York: it's what this city's good at. Give me your tired, your poor, your vulnerable masses and even the odd pig-slave-Dalek-human-hybrid too."

Rose laughed at the same time as Martha.  
"The pig and the showgirl!" Martha said with a smile.  
"The pig and the showgirl," the Doctor smiled back for a moment and then it was gone with Martha's next words.  
"Just proves it I suppose; there's someone for everyone."  
"Maybe."

Images began to flash fast and furious past Rose; she caught snippets of conversations and screams. Some moments held on longer than others, she tried to concentrate on them it was the only way she was going to get any real truth about what happened while she was gone. Most of what the Doctor had told her he'd made light of or brushed away as unimportant apart from the one conversation they'd had, but that was about losing her more than anything, how he felt, never about the other circumstances surrounding him and Rose knew better than to push. But she hadn't asked to be here, just as she hadn't before. Unfortunately this time there were no doors to choose from and Jack wasn't there to help her find her way out. She tried calling for the Doctor as she had before but her voice was lost in the din.

Voices flew past her, sentences out of context, echoing in her ears.

" _Rose would know. A friend of mine, Rose, right now she'd say exactly the right thing. Still, can't be helped. You're a novice. Take you back home tomorrow."_

" _I knew it. Acting all innocent. I'm not the first, am I? How many women have you abducted?"_

" _That's my friend's."  
"Where is she, then? Popped out for a space walk?"  
"She's gone." __Gone where?"_ _"I lost her."_

" _Humans! You grab whatever's nearest and bleed it dry!"_

" _I love him to bits, and I hope to God he won't remember me saying that."_

" _Why I can't be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"_

" _I lied to you, 'cause I liked it. I could pretend, just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive."_

" _You can't just experiment on people. It's insane! It's inhuman!"_

_"The one adventure I can never have."_

" _Everything has its time. You know that, old friend, better than most."_

" _Burn with me Martha!"_

" _That place was flooding and burning and they were dying and you were stood there like... I don't know... a stranger. And then you made it snow - I mean, you scare me to death! "_

" _Just... promise me one thing; find someone."_ " _I don't need anyone."  
"Yes, you do. Because sometimes, I think you need someone to stop you." _

_"That friend of yours... what was her name?"  
"Her name was Rose."_

" _You don't talk! You never say! Why not?"_

A bright light hit her and suddenly Rose was in a theatre surrounded by people huddling behind the seats.

Martha had told her about this moment and she wanted to hold him and slap him both at the same time.

The Doctor was stood on the arms of some theatre seats, arms outstretched squaring up to the Dalek on the stage.

"If I'm gonna die, let's give the new boys a shot," he was giving the Daleks an open target. "What do you think, eh? The Dalek humans; their first blood. Go on, baptise them!" There was such hate in his voice and Rose had to wonder how he'd survived so long if this death wish of his was so strong.

Rose looked to the side and saw the lifeless looking humans standing, guns pointed at the Doctor. She knew he didn't die; she wouldn't be in his mind if he'd died but it didn't stop her heart from pounding. She felt tears spring to her eyes.

"Dalek humans take aim," a Dalek screamed.

"What are you waiting for? Give the command!"

He was going to get a huge slap when she finally got hold of him.

"Exterminate!"

But Rose didn't have time to dwell as the scenery changed slightly but the Doctor's stance didn't, she was outside now surrounded by people, the Daleks were in the sky and there at the front, arms outstretched was the Doctor.

"Daleks... ALRIGHT SO IT'S MY TURN! THEN KILL ME! KILL ME! If it'll stop you attacking these people!"

"I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy!"

"Then do it! DO IT! JUST DO IT! DO IT!"

Rose felt the bottom drop from her stomach, nausea settling in. She felt empty and cold and alone and realised that they were his feelings, how he felt at that point in time. She let out a sob and ran towards him. The scenery froze and juddered around them and she stopped in front of him. His eyes were full of such fury and pain and she couldn't even begin to understand but she found herself crying and pounding at his chest.

XxXxX

A jolt of pain hit the Doctor's chest, then another and another. Groggily he opened his eyes to the empty living room, the fog in his mind clearing. Then he heard it. Rose was crying, no, worse than that she was sobbing and hitting him.

He struggled upright taking Rose with him.

Jack stumbled through the door. "Okay?" he asked warily, looking from the distraught Rose to the Doctor. "Please tell me you haven't lost your mind."

The Doctor frowned at him and shook his head before turning back to Rose. "Hey, hey. What's all this?" he soothed, holding on to her arms. He couldn't make out what she was saying but it sounded a little like she was calling him a banker. "What did I do?"

"You just stood there," she wailed. "You just stood there and waited and shouted at them. They could have killed you and you didn't care!"

"Rose, calm down, what are you talking about?"

"The Daleks," she gasped out finally looking up at him with her tearstained face.

"We've been through this; you've already verbally bashed me for it. What's brought this on?"

"I just saw it, I saw you," she sniffed, taking a shuddering breath.

"I don't understand."

"I was right there, standing behind you while you just screamed at them to kill you." Her face crumbled as she began to cry again and the Doctor pulled her against him.

He looked over at Jack completely lost for words. Jack held up a hand and darted from the room, returning a few moments later with a glass tumbler and three mugs on a tray.

Rose had since quietened down, her head buried in the Doctor's chest as he rocked her from side to side but said nothing.

"Where are the chocolate biscuits?" he complained quietly.

"Owen finished them," Jack told him sheepishly.

"Bloody cheek!"

There was a gurgle of laughter as Rose pulled away.

Jack reached into his pocket and handed her a tissue.

"Thanks," she gave him a small shaky smile.

"Bad dream?" he asked as the Doctor watched her carefully.

"Sort of."

Jack handed her the glass tumbler. "Brandy," he explained. "It'll help warm you up."

"Wasn't a dream though was it? You were there," the Doctor said. "You were in my head again."

"I'm sorry, I don't know how I got there and then it wasn't like last time, I couldn't see any doors or anything it was just…..there, in front of me and when it wasn't I could hear all these voices shouting things."

"Like what?" Jack asked then kicked himself. This was the Doctor's life, his memories; he might not want Rose spouting them off.

Rose looked at the Doctor; his face gave no feelings away, but it was clear he was trying to piece together what she'd seen.

"Who was the gobby Londoner?"

A slight smile touched the Doctor's lips. "That was Donna, one trip wonder her. Helped save the world though. Wasn't as bad as she sounded I'm sure."

"Sounded like she would've been a good friend."

"Yeah, I think she might've been," he said softly. "Would've driven me nuts but a good friend."

"She didn't want to come with you?"

"No, bit too much for her I think."

"Scared her to death."

"Yeah." He cleared his throat as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry you had to see all that."

"I don't get it," Jack said.

"Get what?"

"What is it that's messed with your brains so much that you had to let it all loose to fix it?"

"Time for that in a minute. First; tea. Where are the others?"

"Staying out of the way. TARDIS has turned your bedroom back into your bedroom."

"Make sure they're not breaking anything?"

Jack nodded and left the pair alone.

The Doctor played with chip on the rim of his mug.

"You need a new one," Rose told him. "I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"I….I dunno really. I didn't mean to be in your head. I didn't know how to get out, I yelled for you but there was so much noise, so many people yelling. You sounded so angry and sad and I know why, it's just even though you explained it, I don't think I realised how…. devastating it was until I saw it and I could feel how you felt. I was right when I said you'd have left Martha with no way home wasn't I? If they'd shot you you'd be gone for good."

The Doctor nodded. "When a Dalek gets you that's it. Game over. Unless you're Jack and have Bad Wolf fighting your corner. But it doesn't matter now, it's in the past, it's over."

"But it's not. It never will be in here." She reached up and stroked his temple.

"Rose," he sighed and took her hand. "The only reason it was stirred up was because of the chemicals flowing through my brain. It had to open all those doors to flush the toxin out. I'm sorry you got dragged in. That'll teach me to leave you alone in those situations."

"Don't you dare. I'm sorry I hit you. It's just hearing all those things and then seeing the someone I love demanding to be killed…." her voice trailed off as her eyes misted up.

The Doctor sighed and wrapped his arms around her. He pressed a kiss to her head and held her for a while.

"I'm sorry," he murmured softly. "I got lost along the way but I'm here with you and I'm not going anywhere," he told her.

"Promise?"

He pulled back, took her face in his hands and kissed her lips softly. "Promise. Well, unless you count the control room."

"You're taking me with you aren't you?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope." She smiled brightly at him and the Doctor felt relief wash over him. It was over, she knew the extent of his despair first hand; she'd seen and felt it. "So, you solved the mystery of our visitors?"

"Oh yes. And it's not going to be easy," he stood, dragged a blanket round his shoulders then held out his hand for Rose.

"It never is easy with us. I don't think I'm ever going to be warm again!" Rose shuddered. "Who changed my clothes by the way?"

The Doctor grinned as he pulled her blanket tighter round her shoulders. "That would be Jack; we didn't think you'd want a stranger to do it and he's very mature when he wants to be. I would've but my hands had all but given up by then."

"Well, we've seen his often enough I suppose it's all a bit tit for tat."

"Don't get me started. So many jokes are flying round my head right now."

"Jack's rubbing off on you," she said a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh look! A million more! Come on," he grabbed his cup of tea from the table and Rose did the same, anything to warm her up a bit. "Let's get to the control room and amaze them with my brilliant deductions," he declared leading her down the corridor.

"You're going in your pyjamas?"

"I have no dignity left, why worry. T-shirt and pyjama bottoms, hardly the least they've seen me in. Besides, I've got my blanket."

"Oh god, they've seen us naked!"

"Well Owen has."

"Brilliant. Like he wasn't a letch before."

"I think the chains and bridle probably scared him off from those thoughts about either of us."

"Damn, such a shame."

The Doctor chuckled as they walked into the main control room. "Right then ladies and gents, are you sitting comfortably? Good, because as I said earlier; we have a great big stinking problem!"

XxXxX


	9. Chapter 9

"It's not a signal, listen harder," the Doctor turned up the volume on the control panel.

"It just sounds like a beat to me," Owen shrugged.

"That's why you have to listen harder. What's _under_ the beat?"

"Is that….?" Martha frowned. "There's like a song playing or something."

"Exactly." The Doctor started tapping away on the keyboard. "If I take the overlying beeping away….. you're left with this."

"That's kind of pretty," Gwen said smiling.

"Glad you like it. Only problem is it's a huge problem for me."

"But you're okay now," Jack pointed out.

"As long as I stay inside I'm hunky-dory. The purple cloud outside was a cover, it was carrying a toxin which alters state of mind in someone like me. It's a form of mind control."

"But why did it affect me? I'm not one of you," Rose asked, feeling more lost by the second.

"That'll be the anti-dote," the Doctor said, "that lost feeling, it's not you being thick it's the chemicals working their way out of your system."

"Did I say it out loud?" Rose frowned.

"No," Jack answered looking rather amused.

The Doctor blinked and frowned. "Looks like you're still in my head, can hear you loud and clear so be careful what you're thinking," he told her and winked. "Anyway back on subject. Rose is becoming more like me as time goes on don't forget so she will be vulnerable to the same things I am, although we haven't tried aspirin yet…. Best stay away from that one until I've checked. But she will have a higher tolerance still being part human."

"Hang on you said it affects your mind right? Does that mean Rose's mind is changing?" Owen asked.

"Uh, no."

"Now I'm really lost." Rose sat heavily on the jump seat. "I can be affected by but have a higher tolerance to the same things you do, right? So did I breathe that stuff in or what?"

"Or what. It only took seconds for me to breathe it in; you'd have to have been standing there for hours for it to have the effect it did."

"But it didn't take hours."

"That's because you didn't _breathe_ it in." The Doctor looked at her pointedly.

"Okay, my brain really doesn't like this explanation. It's too complicated."

"But how you got it doesn't really matter, does it Doc?" Jack said.

"No, makes no difference at all." The Doctor silently thanked Jack for trying to move the conversation on.

"Well it does to me!" Rose moaned.

The Doctor sighed. _'Fine, two words; storage cupboard.'_

"Oh!" Rose declared involuntarily then sank lower in the seat, burying herself into her blanket.

"They're…..oh how can I explain this in human terms?... Sirens! That's it; they're like Sirens and mermaids. Your legends and fairytales say they used to lure sailors to their deaths by singing to them. This lot are part of that species."

"But you said it affects people like you so that means they were waiting for you," Gwen said.

"They must've been following and snuck into the atmosphere while I wasn't looking. Sent out the cloud, bound to draw attention, the couple fighting may have just been happy coincidence…."

"They disappeared when we ushered everyone inside."

"Okay maybe not. Hmm….another piece of an ever growing puzzle. But what they want is me… or rather a completely insane me."

"But why?"

"Oh any number of reasons. Although if the past is any indication of the future then it's definitely not good."

"You've dealt with them before?" Jack asked draping his arm round Rose and rubbing her shoulder as she gave an involuntary shudder.

"A long, long time ago. Scopuli. They used to live in the neighbouring galaxy to us. They'd lure away the damaged ones from the safety of the citadel and take them away."

"Damaged ones?" Gwen asked.

The Doctor looked round the expectant group and leant back against the control panel and sighed, wiping a hand down his face.

"Doc, you don't have to share," Jack told him soberly.

"Yes I do. They need to know what we're getting involved in. Um…Time Lords aren't born. When a potential Time Lord is eight he or she is taken away from their family and has to take part in the initiation ceremony. You're taken to a gap in space and time called the Untempered Schism. You can see the entire Vortex in that gap, the raw power of time and space and they make you stand there and watch, just a child, so vulnerable. Some were inspired bit it, some ran the other way and others went mad. They're the ones the Scopuli preyed on."

"And let me guess you were inspired," Owen said, expecting the Doctor to have been the class swot.

"Me? Inspired? Pfft. No chance; ran as fast as my legs could carry me and a bit more besides."

Rose watched the Doctor as he stared vacantly at the grill flooring obviously contemplating his childhood when a woman's voice invaded her head.

" _Answer me this, just one question, that's all. If the Doctor had never visited us, never chosen this place on a whim, would anybody here have died?"_

The Doctor's gaze flicked up to Rose and saw the look on her face.

"You heard that," he stated, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," Rose croaked, the harsh brutal truth of the question tugged at her insides and she knew the answer he must've given.

"Looks like I can't get rid of you today."

"'Fraid not. Just as well I don't scare easy."

"What's going on?" Martha asked as the group watched the pair.

"Rose's mind is sort of stuck to mine at the moment. She can hear everything, whether I want her to or not without even trying," the Doctor explained.

"So what's the plan?" Gwen asked.

"Don't know yet."

"You don't have one?" Owen's tone betrayed his annoyance.

"Nope." The Doctor popped his 'p'.

"He never has one," Jack grinned. "He just makes it up as he goes along, right Doc?"

"Always. Now if you don't mind I'm going to get some more clothes on. I don't fancy fighting another set of aliens in my jim jams."

XxXxX

"So who was it?" Rose asked pulling a long sleeved t-shirt over her head.

"Who was who?"

"The woman giving you a hard time."

"She was hardly giving me a hard time. She had a fair point," he told her, tucking his shirt into his trousers.

"Maybe, she clearly didn't know you very well. Anyone who knows you knows that would hurt."

"She didn't know me at all. Not really. That was Joan, she was in love with John and I took him away from her. Can't blame her for being angry. And she was right. If I hadn't gone there, no one would have died."

"And if that lot had found you god only knows what they would have done next."

"Rose you have to remember this was 1913, she did well to accept that aliens existed. Asking anything more would really have been pushing it."

"Doesn't mean I'm not annoyed with her for saying it," she huffed, pulling on her hooded jumper.

The Doctor smiled at her softly. "Rose, if you're still attached to my mind, you're likely to hear all sorts of things you don't like. That Donna had a mouth on her, bit colourful if you ask me," he chuckled.

" _This friend of yours, just before she left, did she punch you in the face?"_

Rose giggled. "That was Donna right?"

"Yeah, she didn't like me much when she met me. Was on her way down the aisle on her wedding day and the TARDIS transported her on board. She was not a happy bunny. Nether was I for that matter. Had enough to deal with without her yelling at me."

"What were you up to then?"

The Doctor sobered for a moment and scratched the back of his neck looking around the floor for a pair of socks. "I'd…um….I'd just said goodbye to you."

"Oh." She sat in the middle of the bed watching as the Doctor began to fumble with his tie. "Well I'm glad you weren't alone, even if she was a bit of a nightmare. Like mum says, 'doesn't do to dwell.'"

"You're mother never said that! Seriously? Blimey, she _is_ deeper than a pancake."

"You mean puddle and oi! No insulting my mum! How many shirts have you got on?"

"Three." Rose raised an eyebrow at him. "What? I'm cold!"

"'S'alright, I've got two tops and a jumper. Plus two pairs of socks."

"Wimp," he teased then huffed as he gave up on his tie, throwing the offending article on the bed in front of Rose.

"What's up with you, you never have trouble with your tie." She picked it up and began to tie it round her own neck. "Come here."

The Doctor crawled onto the bed and knelt in front of her and she slipped the knotted tie over his head.

"There, sorted. So what do we do now?"

The Doctor thought for a moment his eyes searching Rose's, looking for the answers. "Find out what my old friends want with me. Which means a little play acting on my part. Ever fancy yourself as an actress?"

"Me?"

"Well, something made me jump you in the hospital for a reason. They'll be expecting a rather nutty Time Lord and his Companion."

"And that's why you've got the black suit back on."

"'Fraid so."

Rose looked down at her own attire. "Maybe I should change into something more befitting a horny twenty-something lover of a Time Lord."

"Now there's a thought, although save that one 'til we've made real contact."

"Tell you what though."

"What?"

"Be glad when I get you all to myself again. And before you say it, no I'm not still possessed or what ever it was. And that thing you did in that cupboard in the hospital, where you were inside my head at the same time? We have to do that again."

"Well unless we can get you unattached from my mind we're not going to have much of a choice. And believe me, long term it's not as fun as you might think."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that one. As much as I love you, I'd rather not hear everything you think about."

"Believe me when I say, and no offence meant, thank Rassilion for that. There are plenty of things in my head that no one should hear. All I can say for now is, anything you hear, it'll be the past. They're just memories that are flowing still while those chemicals carry on through my system. Yours finished long ago but mine are still going. 900 years takes a while to spring clean."

"I know, doesn't mean I have to like them." A small smile crept across her lips. "So, Martha loves you to bits, huh?"

"What? How'd you…?"

"Recognised her voice. She's got good taste. Although I think you let that one slip out earlier on purpose to make me jealous."

The Doctor smiled cheekily, "Did it work?"

"Nope, I already know you're my Doctor."

XxXxX

"Right then," the Doctor declared strolling back into the control room, rolling his shirt sleeves up he headed straight for the controls. "First things first, you lot are going home."

XxXxX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s hot, ridiculously hot and I’m British. I don’t do hot, I’m used to grey skies and water falling from the sky. So I can’t sleep in this heat, would be lovely to hear from you dear reader, if anyone is still reading that is. B x


	10. Chapter 10

"What?" Gwen looked at Owen and Jack.

"Doc, what are you talking about?" Jack growled stepping forward.

"We want to help and we're staying," Martha told him.

The Doctor turned to face them. "You can't help. Owen, Gwen this is your stop," he told them as the TARDIS jerked. "Cardiff is right through those doors. Off you pop. Have fun, see you soon." He waggled his fingers in a cheery wave, his eyes cold and empty.

Owen shook his head angrily as he stalked to the door, Gwen following close behind. "You know, we saved you from Torchwood, we're not useless," Owen told him.

"That was different."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't have any say that time. I'm grateful for everything you've done, I really am, I'm just trying to keep you all safe. The more of us there are the harder things will be to control. Jack and I can look after ourselves and we can keep Rose safe."

" _He is dangerous! I've been told things. Look around you; nothing but death and destruction!"_

Rose stood silently and said nothing. She'd heard all these sorts of things before from her own mother but hearing them now, knowing they were floating round his mind was even more hurtful. She knew why he was sending them all home and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't find an argument to convince him otherwise.

"What about Martha?" Gwen asked. There wasn't any anger in her voice, just concern. She seemed to just be accepting things as they were which Rose found a little odd. Maybe that was her way of dealing with things, or maybe she understood far more than the boys gave her credit for. Rose looked at the woman, studying her. Her gaze was flicking between Jack and the Doctor, taking in every expression and word. She understood. Gwen Cooper knew what the Doctor was saying and wasn't about to argue.

"Oh she's going home too, don't you worry about that." The Doctor felt the girl bristle behind him. "Nice seeing you again, thanks for everything," there was a sincerity in his voice that caused Owen and Gwen to pause at the door but then Owen shook his head again and slammed the door shut behind him.

"What the hell has got into you?" Jack fumed as the Doctor sent the TARDIS into the vortex, taking Martha back to London.

He looked up at Rose briefly before fixing his attention on his monitor. "Joan was right when she asked if people would have lived if it wasn't for me. Where ever I go death and destruction follow. The Oncoming Storm. I can't have so many people to look out for; especially those who can't look really look out for themselves."

"I can't believe you think I'm completely helpless!" Martha snapped.

"Martha, I know you're not helpless but your mum was right and I can't protect you all. You can't come back from the dead."

"Well neither can Rose."

"They're not going to harm Rose; they wouldn't dare, not if they need me. Trust me, I would rather Rose didn't come, I'd keep her here where it's safe if that was an option but they're going to be expecting both of us, so I don't have much choice."

"Wait, what's my mum got to do with this?"

"She warned you about me but you wouldn't listen. Thing is she was right."

"Martha, if he and anyone to palm me off on he would," Rose stepped forward, finally finding her voice to fight his corner. "The next stop would be my mum's flat. He'd make me stay there by telling her exactly what was going on, she'd love him for it, me and her would row and before I know it he'd be back. He would never dream of taking you home without good reason, you know that really. You've saved his life more than once. You are no way useless."

"Then why doesn't he say it?"

"'Cause he's the Doctor and as much as I love him he's completely useless when it comes to explaining things that aren't related to science. Leads to quite a few shocks believe me." Rose winked causing Martha to sigh and smile.

"Conversation for another time?"

"Oh definitely," she nodded and grinned.

Martha looked at the Doctor hovering behind, one hand stuffed in his pocket, the other tugging on his ear, looking intently at the consol, clearly trying to avoid eye contact with all of them. She nodded. "You be careful," Martha told her and turned to Jack. "You too Mr. Invincible."

"Yes Ma'am." He saluted and chuckled.

"You coming back?" she called over to the Doctor, "When it's all done, are you coming back to say goodbye?"

"Oh, well. I…I…"

"We'll be back," Rose promised for him. "Told you…..he's rubbish!"

Martha nodded and left the TARDIS with a cursory scowl at the Doctor.

Jack whirled round to face the Doctor, annoyance plain on his face.

"Oh don't start!" the Doctor told him, disappearing into the corridor.

"That's right run away!"

"Jack, stop it," Rose told him wearily.

"There was no call for that, they would have been fine! They came here to help him and he threw it back in their faces!"

"Okay one; stop yelling at me. Two; you brought them here not him. And three; he's certain he's doing the right thing and for all we know he's right, he usually is. We've never faced this lot before, he has. We don't know what they're capable of."

"Then why didn't tell them what they're capable of and let them decide?"

"Because if you go through life believing that despair follows you and then the very people you save think the same, you'd keep people as far away from you as possible. You're not in his head Jack, you can't hear them."

"Hear who?"

"Remember when we could hear all those voices screaming from the war? Imagine that all the time and then add in people telling you and those you care about to stay away because you're dangerous, that tragedy follows everywhere you step."

"Blimey you make me sound like the Grim Reaper," the Doctor said from the doorway, rolling his shirt sleeves up.

"Sorry," Rose mumbled.

"What for?" he stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her temple before going back to the control panel.

Jack watched him, trying to fathom if the Doctor was angry or just resigned.

"Didn't mean for you to hear that."

"Nothing I haven't already heard, besides what did you say that wasn't true? Oh, did I tell you your mum has competition in the slapping stakes? Martha's mum knocked two of my molars loose."

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Hiding in an insulting joke about mothers. You always do."

"I'm not; she slapped me then told Martha to stay away. That's who you heard with the 'death and destruction' and all that jazz. That was Francine Jones and she was right really, if you think about it."

"No she's not," Jack told him, finally understanding. "None of them are. It doesn't follow you, you just happen to arrive first. Most of them would've turned up whether you were there or not. And if you hadn't turned up there'd be millions more dead people and aliens in the universe. And if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to get back up after being shot in the head."

"That was Rose and the TARDIS, nothing to do with me."

"If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have been on that game station saving your butt and I wouldn't have died so Rose and the old girl couldn't have brought me back."

"So you're happy you can't die now?" The Doctor frowned at him.

"Well I wouldn't say happy, but at least I'm not alone. Not for a long time yet anyway, not with you two around."

"Does that mean you're staying? Permanently?" Rose asked her face lightening.

"If you'll let me." He looked back at the Doctor. "I don't belong anywhere, Doc. Bit like you, no time zone, no planet of my own. I know I'm not the easiest person to be around…"

"I'm not exactly a bundle of laughs all the time," the Time Lord gave a self-depreciating smile.

"So you're a bit Eeyore sometimes. At least you're Tigger the rest of the time. I push my luck,"

"Me too."

"I take stupid risks."

"And me again."

"And I can fly off the handle instead of trusting you. So I'm sorry. I've said it before, you guys are all I've got, like family and if you'll let me; I wana stay."

"It was never a question, Jack. Minute you walked through my doors I knew I was stuck with you whether I wanted to be or not. Lucky for you, Rose turned up too and she likes having you around. And we all know she's got me wrapped round her little finger." His lips quirked as he tried to hide a smile.

"Oh good, you can give me that credit card that doesn't have a limit!" Rose grinned.

"Not a chance. I know the TARDIS is bigger on the inside but there wouldn't be enough room for all the clothes you'd buy!"

Jack had to laugh. The Doctor and Rose were so opposite sometimes. He liked to keep things minimal, almost simple. Rose liked clutter and comfy. But there were both a messy as each other and for some reason they just worked.

"What's that look for?" the Doctor asked, breaking Jack's train of thought.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing just thinking. You two are so cute."

"Let's see if you still think so in a few hours. Rose? Time for a lesson sweetheart."

She nodded and bounced out of the control room.

"Lesson?"

"Promised I'd teach her how to control Bad Wolf, seems like it might be a good idea to do it before meeting the neighbours."

"That's why the black suits back." Jack nodded. "You're gona go in there as psycho Doctor, your friendly neighbourhood nypho and his dancing partner Rose."

"Something like that. I need them to think they're on the winning side."

"Can you keep up the act for long enough?"

"Difficult to know, which is why I'm going to need lots and lots of coffee."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Can you think of any other way of staying hyper enough without actually being drugged out of my mind?"

"Point taken. So taming the big Bad Wolf huh?"

"Yeah," the Doctor sighed, a slight frown gracing his features.

"Nervous?"

"Me? Nah!"

Jack smiled at the Time Lord knowingly. "So, you always teach in a suit?"

"Of course! Ever known me to wear anything else?"

"Yeah I have."

"Okay ever known this body to wear anything else?"

"Get off with you. Don't keep her waiting and be careful."

The Doctor smiled tightly and nodded.

XxXxX


	11. Chapter 11

"Close your eyes and breathe. Try to relax."

"With you standing behind me? Not likely."

He could hear the smile in her voice. "Behave Miss Tyler."

"Can't help it. You wound me up; you'll just have to unwind me."

"Later. Right I'm coming in."

"Ooo, Time Lord foreplay? I didn't realise it was gona be _that_ kind of lesson! Are we gona have that creepy seventies instruction video too?" she laughed as she felt his fingers on her temples and then she could see him. "Hello," she smiled as he stepped towards her.

"You are a very cheeky girl! Blimey, for someone so messy you're mind is incredibly tidy!"

"Thanks, just what a girl wants to hear. So what are we looking for?"

"We are looking for Bad Wolf," he nodded over her shoulder. "That golden glow there; right at the back, that's it."

Rose turned and stumbled backwards as she saw it.

"Easy, it won't hurt you, its part of you Rose. You wouldn't hurt yourself would you?"

"Not on purpose."

"Well then. You control it, not the other way round, just remember that. Now, concentrate. Try to imagine holding it in your hands like a big, glowing ball."

"Okay," Rose breathed heavily. She didn't feel the Doctor withdraw from her mind or move round so he was facing her.

"Open your eyes," he whispered.

After a moments hesitation Rose did and found herself looking into his warm, comforting eyes. His gaze darted down to her hands, hers followed.

"Oh you are kidding me!"

"Nope, there you are. Rose Tyler meet your alter-ego."

"Now what do I do?" she whispered looking down at the pulsating ball of energy in her hands.

"Get used to the feel of it. In your hands you hold part of the Time Vortex Rose. You haven't really done that since you ended the Time War. Resting in your palm is one of the most powerful things in the universe, just sitting there, shining like a Christmas ball. At this moment in time you are one of the most powerful beings in the universe."

"Aren't you glad I'm on your side?!" Rose choked out nervously.

"Oh Rassilion yes, otherwise I'd be running as fast as I can."

She looked up at him and saw the seriousness in his eyes and frowned.

"You're more powerful than I could ever dare to be with that in your control."

"But you can control time and space."

"Well, dunno about control, manipulate maybe but you can bring life. You can take things and break them into tiny molecules and scatter them through time and space. I think that trumps me at least three times over."

"Are you scared of me?"

"Honestly? At this moment? A little bit."

Rose nodded, taking in everything he'd just said.

"The thing to remember Rose is to only use it when you have to. There's a fine line between control and insanity."

"That's why your lot trained it out of you."

"Exactly. Okay, now see if you can make it work for you. Let's start with something small." He stepped away from her and pulled a small ball from his pocket, bouncing it a few times before placing it on the floor.

Rose looked at him questioningly.

The Doctor smiled and moved behind her again. "Okay, we're going to move that ball."

"We?"

"I'll help you out on this one, then you're on your own."

His warm breath tickled the back of her neck and she suppressed a shudder. He pressed one finger against one of her temples. "Relax, the more nervous you are the more erratic the reaction."

"Right, relax," Rose sighed, letting out a deep soothing breath. "What do I do?"

"You need to want to move it. I'll keep a hold on your mind as best I can but you really need to do this by your self as much as possible. It'll be okay." He pressed a light kiss to the side of her head. "When you're ready, there's no rush."

The Doctor held his breath as he waited for something to happen. He wasn't certain who was more nervous, him or Rose. Then the smallest movement happened, the ball juddered slightly and started to bounce on the spot.

"Is that me?"

"Yes. See the golden colour surrounding the ball? That's the energy."

"Oh my god!" Rose's face broke into a huge grin and she spun to look up at the Doctor. "I can't believe it!"

"Uh Rose?"

"How amazing is that? A human being can do that with out camera tricks or anything!"

"Rose."

She babbled on and on practically bouncing on the spot.

"Rose!" the Doctor practically yelled before ducking to the floor, taking her with him as the ball bounced hard off one of the walls and shot straight at them at frightening speed. The Doctor covered Rose's head with his hands keeping an eye on the ball as it slowed to a virtual halt, rolling harmlessly across the floor.

"What happened?" Rose asked when he helped her to her feet.

"You just got a little over-excited that's all."

"Sorry," she mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"It's a learning curve, Rose," he smiled softly. "So-called because we learn from the mistake." He moved away from her putting a good distance between them. "But you did it. You got the ball rolling, metaphorically and literally. And that's fantastic!"

"I guess it is," she said, brightening. "I mean, I can move object by just wanting too! That's amazing!"

"Yes it is. Tell you what try moving me."

"What?!"

"Move me. You managed to throw those Time Agents across the room, lifting me should be easy."

"But what if I hurt you? I did last time!"

"You weren't in control then."

"But I still hurt you."

"Do you _want_ to hurt me?"

"No."

"Well then. Remember you control it not the other way round. Just concentrate, imagine me floating as you look at me."

"But what about the ball?"

"Well I'm hoping you wont get so excited that you'll forget I'm here. Whaddya say? Want to give it a whirl?"

"Do you trust me enough?"

"Would I ask if I didn't? Besides I've got another three bodies if it goes wrong."

"Not funny."

"Just as well you're not going to hurt me then isn't it?" He gave her one of his biggest grins, "Come on then Bad Wolf, sweep me off my feet."

Taking a deep breath, Rose bit her lip and watched the Doctor. Despite his admission of being a little scared, he stood before her with his hands buried in his pockets, looking as casual as ever.

Golden tendrils began to snake their way from Rose's hands across to him, twirling round him head to toe. She watched in amazement as he rose slightly from the floor.

"See, easy peasy!" he grinned as Rose began to laugh.

"I'm doing that?"

"Yup. Bad Wolf? Nah! More like a naughty puppy." He winked.

"Can I move you?"

"Try it."

"You sure?"

He nodded.

After a moment or two the Doctor began to move from side to side.

"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm doing this."

"Rose Tyler you can do anything if you put your mind to it. But you have to keep a level head which is why you should only use this if you really have to until we have more time to work on it."

Rose set him back on the floor and smiled. "Blimey."

"Feeling okay?"

"A bit tingly but other wise okay. You?"

The Doctor grinned sweeping her into his arms and spun her round. "Well done. You did it and I'm still in one piece!"

"Cheeky! So what do we do now?" Rose asked as the Doctor put her back on solid ground.

"I think it's time to get changed sweetheart."

She stood on tip toes and pressed a light kiss to his lips. "Thank you," she whispered. "So any preferences?"

"Something a bit dressy. Pretend you own the place!"

"Like you do everyday?" Rose started out of the room, heading for their bedroom.

"Exactly! Oi, wait a sec I do own the place, well this one any way!" It was no use; Rose was already out of sight. "Minx!"

XxXxX

"Hey Doc, how'd it go?"

"She's a natural. Should've seen her Jack. Lifted me clean off the floor and moved me around the room. She was magnificent!"

"Look at you all shining with pride! Our girl's growing up to stand on her own to feet!" Jack grinned.

"Rose always stood on her own two."

"This is true. So what's the plan?"

"Well Rose is getting changed ready to meet the neighbours so I suppose now would be a good time to put the coffee on."

"I'm on it."

"Need a hand?" a voice came from the other side of the consol.

The men looked over to see Martha standing by the doors. Her defiant gaze locked with the Doctor's and Jack could almost feel the air crackle between the pair.

"I told you to go home," the Doctor growled.

"Yeah and big surprise, I didn't listen. It's a good idea to take the key away when kicking someone off the TARDIS. You can keep pushing me away but you're my friend and I love you, I'm not about to leave you now."

They stared at each other for a long moment. The Doctor's face hard as stone, his eyes wild and his breathing heavy as if keeping his temper was a battle.

Martha glared at him, daring him to argue, determined to stand her ground.

"Martha," he began through gritted teeth.

"No, I'm staying and that's that!"

"Bad move," Jack whispered as the furious Time Lord stalked towards her grabbing her by the arms.

"That's that? Are you completely stupid? You think I send people away just because I can? You think I _like_ to leave people behind? Martha, I care about you, that is why you are going back out there and that is that!"

"No," she shoved him off as he tried to bundle her through the door. "You can't order me around. You wouldn't do it to Rose."

"Yes I would and I have. She knows that if I tell her to stay put she stays put. Well she does these days. The point is…oh I don't know any more. You want to get killed? You want to get _us_ killed? Fine, stick around. Don't expect me to save you when you get into trouble!" With that the Doctor stalked off to find Rose and a bit of sanity.

"He doesn't mean it," Jack told her. "The whole not saving you, he will."

"He might not have to!"

"Oh he will. Now he's said it it's bound to happen. Like a prophecy. It's the whole 'what could possibly go wrong' or 'don't look down' effect. Still, you won the argument, good for you."

"You think I made a mistake coming back?"

Jack regarded her for a moment. "Maybe but then I've made plenty so who am I to judge?"

XxXxX

Rose heard the bedroom door slam and watched things fall from the bathroom shelf as she put the finishing touches to her hair.

"Doctor?" she called. Looking through the bathroom door she spotted the Doctor sat on the bed, his back to the door. "What's up now?" she asked, walking over to the wardrobe.

"Martha. She came back and is refusing to leave." He raked his fingers through his hair before pressing the heels of his hands to his tired eyes.

"Oh. Well that's not really a surprise."

"What do yoouu….?" He looked round at her and his voice died in this throat.

There she stood hands on hips and eyebrows raised. Her golden hair fell in loose ringlets that brushed her shoulders, her lips a red slash across her milky skin and her little black dress clung to her in all the right places with a flared skirt that stopped just above her knee.

"She loves you, we all know it and she's not going to leave you if she thinks she can help. I wouldn't, even if you were a bit harsh and….. are you even listening to me?" she noted his dazed expression. "Are you okay?"

' _You loved her. How is that possible? An alien falling for a human.'_

' _Takes a special kind of human.'_

Rose frowned. "Where did that come from?"

"Tuh…Tuh…Sorry?" He licked his lips and shook his head.

"That voice, when was that?"

The Doctor cleared his throat and absently rubbed his chest. "That was Torchwood."

"Torchwood?"

He stood, his eyes never leaving her face as he walked towards her. "Yeah."

"When?"

He took her hand and pressed it to his chest, guiding her fingers between the buttons of his shirt until they brushed against his scar. "Then," he whispered and cupped her cheek with his free hand before kissing her softly.

Rose lent into him, sighing when he finally pulled away. "What was that for?"

"You look beautiful. Don't know about play-acting with you on my arm." He grinned and winked at her.

"Charmer. So what are we going to do about Martha? She's never going to go home while this is going on you know."

"I know. I guess she'll have to stay 'til the end."

"You okay with that?"

"What, one more person on my ship that doesn't listen to me? Oh yeah! Fantastic." He rolled his eyes.

"We'll get through it, we always do."

"And after this we're staying hidden for an entire week. No disasters, no emergencies."  
"No aliens," Rose sighed contentedly and leant against him.

"Well that would be a little hard, unless you weren't planning on letting me stick around," the Doctor pouted.

She giggled. "I can't believe I still forget you're not human."

"I'll prove it to you if you like," he waggled his eyebrows at her, his hand smoothing up and down her back.

She grinned up at him. "As much as I'd love to take you up on that offer and let you show me just how much more stamina you have on an average human bloke, right now we have company and a job to do."

"Since when did you become the voice of reason, you were all for teasing earlier?"

"That was teasing, you're serious. Anyway after today I intend to stop being that voice for a while."

The Doctor chuckled and kissed her soundly. "Come on then, let's get moving before I change my mind and lock the door."

Walking back into the control room hand in hand with Rose, the Doctor lost his humour as his eyes locked with Martha's.

"Right, ground rules; no wandering off, you do exactly what we say, when we say. No adlibbing, no improvising unless absolutely necessary. Got it?"

Martha nodded, some of her earlier bravado having left her at the cold hard look on the Doctor's face. He truly was terrifying when he was angry and he seemed to vibrate with it.

"Jack you wana call your guys?"

"No, you were right. Too many cooks and all that. They'll get over it. Wow looking good Rosie, surprised you guys made it out of the bedroom looking like that."

"Well it was touch and go for a moment or two," the Doctor told him, a twinkle of mischief flashing in his eyes extinguishing the burning anger that was there just moments before.

"I'll bet! Voice of reason snap you out of it as usual, Doc?"

"Yup, only this time it sounded remarkably like a familiar, blond space-nymph."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. "Rose? Voice of reason?"

"'Fraid so. It's becoming a filthy habit," Rose said with mock seriousness.

"Not filthy enough obviously! Especially when you take into account recent behaviour."

Martha was still standing by the door, seemingly invisible to all onboard. She watched the Doctor as he avoided looking in her direction, busying himself with the TARDIS scanners.

The TARDIS suddenly rumbled and shook sending the Doctor crashing to the floor.

"What's going on?" Rose asked, gripping onto the railing.

"I didn't touch anything I swear!" Jack yelled.

"Neighbours must really want to meet us, so much for the coffee," the Time Lord said, scrabbling to his feet.

"Where are we?"

"I don't know; I can't see anything the monitor's blank."

"Well that's never good is it?"

"No Captain, it really isn't."

XxXxX


	12. Chapter 12

They all stared at each other in apprehension. The Doctor had never been scared of opening the TARDIS doors but today he was terrified. Not knowing where they were and what awaited them usually excited him, made him want to bounce through the doors into the unknown. He looked at the consol and contemplated starting her up and getting the hell out of there.

"We can't," Rose said softly beside him. "We have a job to do. Anywhere else and I'd say go for it if it makes you this uncomfortable but we can't."

The Doctor looked at her and nodded. Taking a deep breath he took her offered hand and made his way to the doors, hesitating before peering out.

"Well this is new," he declared softly, pulling the door wider.

"This isn't a spaceship is it?" Rose asked looking at the scenery.

"Not unless they have a thing for living the high life in the countryside."

Jack stepped out and whistled, "Wow! Now who would live in a house like this?"

"Someone with not enough money for the upkeep?" Martha suggested from beside him. "I mean look at the state of it. It looks like it's about to fall down."

"Well I don't suppose anyone's actually living in it," the Doctor told her, looking at the area around them.

"What do you think they brought us here for?" Rose asked him, shuddering as she gazed at the mansion.

"Jack, I think you and Martha should wait here."

"Man on the outside?"

"Exactly." The Doctor raised his Sonic Screwdriver and scanned the area. "There aren't any barriers up. We'll call you if we need you."

Jack nodded.

"What do I do?" Martha asked.

"You keep Jack company." He looked back at the Time Agent. "I'll try and keep the line open for as long as I can. Not sure how long it'll be for with Rose still attached but hopefully it'll be long enough to give you some idea of what's going on."

"Not having your coffee?" Jack asked.

"No time. Guess I'll have to make it up as I go along." Looking at Rose he squeezed her hand. "Shall we?"

Rose nodded and they began the long walk to the building.

"I'm suddenly very glad I wore my ballet pumps. Running in high heels across this grass wouldn't be clever."

"Running?"

"Well, we'll be running across this grass at some point I'm betting. We always run from something."

"This is true, although I seemed to recall a distinct lack of running on your part these last few weeks. Wonder if you can still keep up!"

"You know; if we're meant to be acting like we want each other all the time, taking the mickey isn't helping get me in the mood."

"When did Mickey get brought into this? Besides keeping a level head is important. Remember we're not here to have fun…. Well maybe a little, we always have a little fun even when running for our lives."

"Is it a bit weird that we _enjoy_ running for our lives?"

"Not really, every one loves a rush of adrenalin every now and then."

"So what do these Scorpi-whatsits look like anyway?"

"Scopuli. I don't really know; no one does. They change their shape to suit the observer, showing you what you want to see. Bit like how I look human."

Rose looked at him, "what?"

"Human form is a choice Rose. A favourite with my lot but if they wanted to they could change."

"Can you?"

"Suppose so, never tried. Never wanted to."

"So what do you really look like?" She suddenly felt very nervous of his answer.

The Doctor paused for a moment, his brow creasing in thought. "You know, I have no idea. I've always been humanoid, my parents were, my grandparents were; everyone was for as long as I can remember. Rassilion himself was humanoid."

"So you're not gona regenerate into a squid or anything?"

"Why would I regenerate into a squid?"

"Well… you just said you don't know what your lot really looked like."

"But why a squid? Maybe we have no form at all; maybe we're like gas in the air."

"Well that would explain a lot!"

"Oi!" The Doctor stopped and turned to look at her. "This bothers you doesn't it?"

"Well, kind of. I mean it's another in a long list of things you forgot to mention."

"Why would I? Rose, I have always been humanoid and I will always be humanoid, I promise. That won't change. For one thing you're not like Jack; you'll only sleep with someone that looks human." He gave her a cheeky smile.

"Got it on the brain you have!"

"After the last twelve hours it's hardly surprising."

"So you're not gona change?"

"Well, I'll change my face again eventually, although that's not on my 'to do' list any time soon. But I will always look and feel human. I swear."

Rose regarded him for a moment then nodded. "So are there lots of other things about you I should know?"

"Probably and I'm sure they'll come up along the way. You know about the regeneration and that's probably the biggest."

"And the two hearts."

"But you knew about that a few hours after we met."

"True."

"See, I don't intend to keep things from you I just sort of forget that they might be important points for you to know. They're all normal for me. Standard issue. Although that spot just behind my ear, that's just a 'me' thing as far as I know."

"What, you mean this spot?" Rose reached up with her fingers, trying to look innocent but the Doctor stopped her progress.

"Not now, unless you _want_ me completely useless for the next couple of hours."

Rose grinned at him. "Come on then you. Let's get this over with."

XxXxX

"Still sulking?" Jack ventured as Martha huffed for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last five minutes.

"I'm not sulking."

"'Course not," he smiled to himself as he went back to inspecting the control panel.

"So how are they getting on anyway?"

"Slowly. I think the Doc's trying to stall. He really doesn't want to meet them."

"Why?"

"No one ever wants to meet an old enemy."

"I guess. So what do you suppose they want with him?"

"I think we can rule out anything good or fluffy. Don't you? I'd also go with whatever it is it's bad for your planet."

"Are we even still on Earth?"

"Looking around out there I'd say yes. Some planets imitate Earth but no one does it that well. Earth is pretty unique. There's not a planet like it in this universe for another couple of million years, not that I've seen anyway. The Doctor would be able to tell you for sure."

XxXxX

The Doctor stopped abruptly when they reached the driveway to the front door.

Rose looked up at him and saw his jaw twitch. "What is it?"

"Remember Rose, they're going to look like whoever it is you want to see but they're not real. It's an illusion, a trick of the mind."

"Right, not real. Gotcha." Rose nodded. "Anything else?"

"How long can you hold your breath for?"

"I don't know, why?"

"They're likely to try and re-dose us. I can go without air for quite a while."

"Oh, 'bout a minute I suppose."

"Good, you might need too. Take a deep breath as we walk through those doors."

"Okay," she squeezed his hand. "We'll be okay. We always are."

"Not always," he said so softly she barely heard it.

"That was one time in hundreds."

"It was enough."

"True, okay then so we stick together, right? No wondering off."

The Doctor smiled down at her. "I'm not the one that needs telling."

"I'm sticking with you, I promise."

The Doctor nodded and tightened his grip in her hand before continuing through the front door.

XxXxX

"So what did the Doctor mean 'keep the line open'?" Martha asked, watching Jack fiddle restlessly with a stray cable.

"He's either going to send his thoughts to me or the TARDIS. I'm not sure; he's never really done it before. This is a new one on me."

"Glad to know it's not just me he keeps surprising."

"He keeps surprising all of us. No one is ever going to know everything there is about him. No matter how much he loves or trusts us, he still plays his cards close to his chest."

"That's sort of unfair though isn't it?"

"Everyone has secrets Martha, it's how we defend ourselves against the world at large. And getting them out of him is like pulling teeth."

"Sometimes I think pulling teeth is easier!"

XxXxX

Rose looked up at the Doctor as they pushed their way through the front door. He was right; they'd rigged a system at the front door to spray them as they walked in so Rose held her breath for as long as she could until they were well clear.

They stopped in the middle of the main hall. As Rose looked around her she could just imagine people bustling around, all dressed up in ball gowns, laughing and drinking. The staircase swept down form a gallery to the middle of the floor. She was sure it had been a grand home, full of light once, now it sat forgotten and falling apart at the seems.

"Not as bad inside as out," she said quietly.

"Hmm," was all the Doctor said as his eyes scanned the room, peering into every shadow and doorway he could see. _'Well Jack, Martha, if you can hear us, welcome to the party.'_

"Welcome Doctor," a voice drifted through the air. "How nice of you to join us."

The Doctor spun back towards the door and found the owner.

"Don't do this. Don't you dare!" he growled.

Rose stood wide eyed as she took in the two figures stood before her. One she recognised, she found she almost wanted to run to them and hold them but she knew, the Doctor had told her that they changed their appearance to suit the observer, for them to see whatever it is they want to see most. Rose hadn't realised until that moment how much she wanted to see her mum, and now there she was, standing before her with an alien sat inside.

She felt the Doctor's grip on her hand tighten and she could feel his pulse vibrating through his hand. She knew this wasn't real and she could see her mum when they got back to Cardiff, albeit on a video screen. The other one Rose couldn't place but whoever it was caused the Doctor to forget any thoughts of playing these creatures at their own game.

XxXxX

"Can't we see what's going on? I mean can't he project the images to the TARDIS or something?"

"Martha, the Doctor is brilliant but he's not that brilliant. This isn't like one of those dodgy t.v shows where they have unrealistic aliens and heroes that can do almost anything."

"I know, I just thought with him and the TARDIS being linked then maybe she could do it."

"Nice thought but no. She can play back memories and stuff, even when he doesn't want her to but she can't show things as they're happening from this distance."

"So we just wait?"

"Yup. As good as it gets, welcome back to life on the fast lane!"

'' _Well Jack, Martha, if you can hear us, welcome to the party."_

"Hearing you loud and clear Doc, can you hear us?"

" _Just about."_

" _Welcome Doctor. How nice of you to join us."_

" _Don't do this. Don't you dare!"_

"Doc? What is it? What's going on?" Jack looked over at Martha.

"This is exactly why we should be able to _see_ what's going on."

XxXxX

"Doctor?" Rose looked up at her lover. "Who is that?"

"You haven't told her about me? Am I so easy to forget? All those years I spent travelling with you. Then you killed my friends and my parents. You wiped out my entire world."

"You left," the Doctor growled. "You're not real because you can't be here. You're a hundred years away from here. I know because I took you there. You asked me to. You're not real."

"And what makes you so sure?" The girl began to walk towards him, her golden hair shimmering in the shafts of light that spilled through the broken windows.

The Doctor took a step back, then another and another until he practically fell up the stairs.

Rose's gaze flicked between him and the girl before him.

"Because if you're real and I had killed your parents; your father wouldn't be walking in behind you right now." The Doctor's voice shook slightly and Rose could feel him trembling.

"Doctor, who is she supposed to be?"

"Susan."

XxXxX


	13. Chapter 13

"Who's Susan?" Martha looked up at the Time Agent.

"No idea. He's never mentioned her to me before."

"Old companion?"

"Must be."

"But why would he kill her family and friends?"

"Accident? I don't know Martha. I'm as much in the dark as you are."

XxXxX

"Doctor if she's meant to be Susan," Rose continued to watch the figure approaching as she and the Doctor stumbled backwards up the stairs. "then doesn't that make her parents your…?"

"Yes Rose. Family tree works the same with my lot as it does with yours."

She glanced up at him and saw his eyes mist over. Spinning on the ball of her foot she began to run up the stairs dragging the stunned Time Lord with her.

"There's no way out Doctor. We can wait!" Susan called after them as they disappeared into the upper corridor.

Rose pulled on doors until one opened and pushed the Doctor through.

"Okay. We probably haven't bought ourselves much time at all but you have got to pull yourself together. That's my mum looking back at me but I know they aren't real. Nothing that thing says is true."

"Rose," the Doctor sighed heavily, leaning back against the wall. "I know you're trying to help but let's be honest. Everything she says is the truth."

XxXxX

" _Rose, I know you're trying to help but let's be honest. Everything she says is the truth."_

" _No it's not."_

" _Rose I killed her parents! My own family! Him, down there? He's supposed to be my son!"_

Jack and Martha stood in stunned silence as any calm the Doctor had melted from his voice.

" _We've been through this, you didn't have a choice,'_ Rose continued calmly. _'Susan will understand that. If she's anything like you she'll be smart enough to know that you would have tried everything you could. She knew what a threat the Daleks were so she'll know that you only did what you had to."_

"Susan _will_?" Martha asked.

"What?"

"Rose said Susan _will_ not Susan _would_. Susan _will_ understand."

"Slip of the tongue?"

"No, it's all in present tense. Do you think she's still out there?"

XxXxX

"Doctor do you trust me?"

' _Is that what you said to her? Your friend? The one you lost? Did she trust you?'_

' _Yes, she did. And she is not dead. She is so alive. Now, jump!'_

He stopped banging his head back against the wall for a moment and nodded silently.

"I've seen it all, you showed me remember? Tried to scare me off with it but as terrifying as it is to see and hear, even I could see there was no other way and I'm just a stupid ape."

"You're far from stupid Rose."

"Well if that's true then that must mean I could be right about Susan, yeah?"

"Thought you were taking a break from being the voice of reason?" The corner of his mouth tugged with the hint of a smile.

"When this is over I will, I promise."

He took a deep breath and blew it back out again. "Come on then. Let's get out there and face the wee beasties before they gas us."

"What?"

The Doctor pointed up to a vent over by the window and Rose saw the purple cloud spilling through the wires.

"Sneaky," she nodded. "Well, they want the Doctor, right? So let's give them the Doctor." Rose looked at him pointedly and a grin spread across his face.

"Right you are Miss Tyler!" He leant down and pressed a brief, hard kiss against her lips and flung the door open, greeting his adversaries with his most winning smile. "So, why don't you tell me what it is you want so that I can laugh and leave?"

Rose couldn't help but smile to herself at his tone. It was his dangerously happy tone and that was never good if you crossed him.

XxXxX

"You think he's got a plan yet?" Martha asked.

"Nope. You know the Doc, makes it up as he goes along, he never has a plan until the last minute. The first time I met him we were facing down these gasmask zombies fronted by this little kid and he yelled 'go to your room'. Worked too! They all retreated. I thought 'here's a man how knows the score, he's got his head screwed on right.' Then he says 'So glad that worked. Those would have been terrible last words!' I could've died right there. Literally and metaphorically. That's the way it's always been. Never has plans, they just kinda fall into his head as he goes along. But then with a life like this you can't really even plan what you're having for dinner tonight, who knows if you'll be home to eat it!"

"Thought that was just when I was around. He always made it sound like Rose had all the answers."

"No, I think she just kinda…..inspires him to get it right. It's that huge grin she gives you when you've just saved the universe. Nothing quite like it."

"Sounds like you've got a bit of a thing for Rose yourself." Martha smiled.

"When I first met her she was hanging off a barrage balloon in the middle of the London Blitz with the Union Jack plastered across her chest. She was all big smiles and sparkling eyes. Soon realised there was only one man that she was really interested in and it wasn't her boyfriend! But it changed once I'd been with them a while, Rose is like my little sister and I love her just like I love the Doc. Like I said, they're all I've got really."

XxXxX

The Doctor and Rose sauntered down the hallway, sparing each other a glance as they were led into a large dining hall.

"Please sit," 'Susan' indicated at the chairs that flanked a long banqueting table.

The Doctor eyed her for a moment before sitting, propping his heels up on the dusty table as Rose took the seat beside him. Both looking unfazed by their company.

"So what do you want?" Rose asked, almost surprising the Doctor with her authoritative tone

"A very simple request. We wish for the Time Lord to help us rebuild our home."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"What happened to your original home?" Rose was on a roll, feeling far more confident than she thought she should under the circumstances. All she had to do was avoid looking at the Scopuli that looked like Jackie and she would be fine.

"It was destroyed during the Time War. A huge supernova burnt it up."

"So how did you survive?"

"They were out scavenging," the Doctor said. "It's what they do Rose. Take things that don't belong to them. That's why they're here. They don't just want my help to rebuild their planet they want me to help them rebuild it here, on earth, right?"

"What about us?"

"That's why they need me. They need rid of you lot and they know the only person that could wipe out an entire civilisation without destroying the planet is me." The Doctor stood and sighed. "Come on Rose. It's the same old boring story."

"Where do you think you're going?" Fake Jackie asked.

"Home," he shrugged, taking Rose's hand and leading her towards the door.

"I don't think so."

XxXxX

" _Where do you think you're going?"_

" _Home."_

" _I don't think so."_

"So just when do we intend on interfering?"

"I'd say that was a good cue, wouldn't you?" Jack checked his holster and grabbed his coat before heading for the doors, Martha right behind him. They ran across the field.

"Better take the back door, just in case. Can't imagine Doc, coming out the front and we don't want to miss them."

XxXxX

The pair turned and found their three captors all pointing weapons at them.

The Doctor raised his chin slightly. "You really don't want to do that," he told them softly.

The three advanced on them slowly.

"No, trust me; you _really_ do _not_ want to do that."

If Rose didn't know better she'd swear there was a slight hint of smugness to his voice.

They kept advancing.

"Well, I gave you a second chance which is very unlike me. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rose thrust her arms out in front of her and watched the golden tendrils wrap themselves around the Scopuli, lifting them off their feet.

"Now what?" she hissed.

"Now? Oh, right sorry, yes my turn." The Doctor closed his eyes and breathed deeply and Rose watched in awe as everything around them froze. She lowered her hands and looked up at him. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Well…. I don't like to brag about it. Besides it's sort of…. Not allowed. It's one of the things I was trained not to do and because of that I never perfected it…. It won't last long so we really should think about running."

Rose didn't need telling twice, she pelted out of the room, heading in the basic direction of the front door, trying to avoid the rotten floorboard as she went.

"Rose! This way!" the Doctor called heading up a flight of stairs.

"Why are we going up? Shouldn't we be getting out?"

"Their ship must be here somewhere. I need to disable it before they figure out another way of destroying you lot."

Rose nodded and followed him.

There weren't many flights but the steps themselves were so shallow there seemed to be hundreds of them and she felt like she had been climbing stairs forever. Her legs were beginning to turn to jelly but the Doctor never let go of her hand once as he scanned the rooms with the sonic screwdriver.

Finally he yanked her through a door and locked it behind them.

"You okay?" he panted, bending over, trying to catch his own breath.

"As soon as we get out of here I'm having a long warm bath and sleeping for like a month," Rose gasped and smiled at him.

"Good plan." With great effort he straightened himself and took as deep a breath as he could. "Now then where did that signal….. oh typical!"

XxXxX


	14. Chapter 14

Jack held his pistol before him as he sidled into the house, keeping Martha tucked behind him.

"See now, if you'd done as you were told I wouldn't have anyone to watch my back," he whispered.

"So where are they?"

"Hang on… upstairs, all the way up?! Well what on earth? Oh you have got to be kidding me? Sneaky critters aren't they? Okay….. right gotcha. Kitchen door. Yeah she is….uh no you can tell her that yourself! I am not a wuss!...You and me will be having words Space boy!...ooo promises, promises!"

"Sorry to break up this lovers quarrel you have going on but could we possibly get this over with, this place gives me the creeps!"

"Got your running shoes on Martha?"

"Don't we always?"

"Right and watch out for anything or anyone that looks familiar. Remember they aren't real."

"What if they turn into the Doctor and Rose?"

"We'll know."

"How?"

"Because they're not moving from upstairs and if in doubt try kissing the Doc, if these things are born from our minds then fake Doc will let both of us kiss him!" Jack winked and grabbed her hand, tugging her along the wall towards the staircase.

XxXxX

"What took you?" Rose asked cheekily as Martha and Jack finally fell through the door.

"Those stairs…..they're murder!" Jack panted. "By the way our friends are on the move."

"Told you it wouldn't last long," the Doctor's voice floated up though a hole in the floor.

"You been freezing the innocent again Doc?"

"No one is completely innocent Captain. Besides, they wanted to kill us. Dunno about Rose but it would have put a bit of a crimp in my day."

Jack chuckled and looked round at Martha who looked ready to collapse. "You know, for a doctor in training you're not very fit," he teased.

"Shut up," Martha gasped.

"So what's he doing down there anyway?" Jack asked turning back to Rose.

"Trying to disable the ship."

"And you found yourselves up here because…..?"

"He tracked the signal of the ship with the screwdriver, which lead us up here. The signal is coming from this part of the ship up here, the way in to the ship and the engine is all the way down there."

"Typical."

"That's what he said."

"Just a thought. Now that our not-so-friendly neighbours are mobile aren't they likely to be coming after you?" Martha asked finally catching her breath.

"Yeah, and they'll be headed up here," Rose nodded.

"Then shouldn't be getting somewhere else?"

Jack held his hand up to silence them and moved swiftly over to the door bracing his back against it.

"Doctor!" Rose hissed down through the floors and the buzzing of the sonic screwdriver stopped abruptly.

They all held their breath as the footsteps got closer. Voices murmured and muttered as the floorboards creaked.

A loud crash made them all jump; Rose and Martha both slapped a hand to their mouths to stop for squealing.

The approaching footsteps began running away, following the noise.

All four stood in silence as the seconds ticked by but their captors didn't return.

"What the hell was that?" Martha asked finally.

"No idea but it bought us some time. Need a hand Doc?" Jack called crouching to lean over the shattered floorboards.

"Don't think so."

"Why didn't we meet you down there?" Martha asked as she joined Jack and Rose in peering over the edge.

"Always meet upstairs," Jack told her. "That way you can lead the enemy away from the intended target. If you got straight for it they've got you all pegged."

"Exactly," the Doctor called distractedly then gave a yelp as the craft shocked him.

"Besides he's coming back up and the door down there is jammed."

"How do you know?" Martha asked.

"Doc told me. That's the other reason why we had to come all the way up here. The door must've got jammed in the impact of the landing." Jack regarded the craft for a moment. "It's not very big; it's a bit like a large trailer. You know; the ones that stay in one place, that people actually live in," he observed.

"Only needed to hold three," the Doctor announced appearing from the bottom of the ship. He stripped off his coat and threw it up at Jack before starting to climb back up towards the trio. "I'm guessing they are the last. They thought they'd only need it to retrieve their finds and return home after a few days at most. They weren't planning on living in it. So when you think about it, it's actually pretty big considering what they were using it for."

"Well, you know what they say about blokes and the size of their vehicles," Rose said as she took the Doctor's hand and helped him over the edge.

"No, what?" he asked absently dusting himself down.

"They're over compensating for something." She flicked her eyes down at his fly and back up as if emphasising her point.

"Oh." His brow furrowed for a moment. "What does mine say about me then?" he asked, feeling a little worried about her response as he thought of his blue police box.

"Well let's see," she looked him up and down with a mischievous glint in her eye before leaning closer and lowering her voice. "It says 'you get far more than you bargained for'. After all it is bigger on the inside." She laughed and moved towards the door, smiling at Martha, her tongue between her teeth, which caused the girl to choke back her own laughter.

"You okay Doc?" Jack asked, hiding his smile as he watched his friend's neck and cheeks take on a ridiculously red hue.

"Yes, yes. Fine, fantastic, brilliant even," the Doctor cleared his throat and tugged uncomfortably on his ear. "Shall we get out of here? Whatever distracted them isn't going to fool them forever, although if I ever find out who or what it was I may just kiss them." Shrugging his coat on, he paused at the door and listened. "Stay close and don't wander off."

All three nodded as he cautiously opened the door.

XxXxX

She nudged a door causing it to slam shut as she galloped by, hoping the aliens would continue to follow. A few more laps of the house and a couple of misdirection's she hoped would be enough for the other four to escape.

She could feel herself slowing and hear the Scopuli gaining on her so she did the only thing she could do; she hid in the shadows and prayed they'd run straight by which they did, only to turn up the back steps back towards the upper floors and the Doctor. Unsure of what else to do, she took off after them. If she could find a quicker route perhaps see could cut them off.

XxXxX

The Doctor led them through the growing shadows of the old building, Jack bringing up the rear. He was trying to lead them out without giving themselves away. The house had more corridors than the Doctor cared for in these situations. But more corridors also meant there were more ways down than just the front stairs. He'd noted the old servant's staircases and decided they would be a great way out if all else failed.

Rose gripped his hand tightly but he couldn't feel her fear, the grip was more of a reassurance that they were still together. So many times like this in the past they had been separated.

He stopped in his tracks as he heard something approaching.

"Jack," he hissed, "back stairs, now!"

Jack grabbed Martha's arm and yanked her back the way they came, eyes scanning for a stairwell.

This time Jack was the one to stop. "Uh, Doc? We've got problems."

The Doctor looked passed the group at the new obstacle. The Scopuli had pre-empted them. They had somehow misdirected the Doctor causing them to run straight into the trap.

Rose glanced at her surroundings; they were back at the room that hid the Scopuli's ship. If she could get them into that room she could drop them down to the bottom floor, leaving them with no option but to climb their way out. Taking a deep breath she stepped out from behind Martha and raised her hands.

Jack and Martha watched in amazement as golden tendrils shot forward, lifting their opponents clean off the floor and shooting them back through a door.

"Rose, no!" the Doctor cried as he rushed to the door frame, watching the three aliens fall down out of sight. The force of Rose's energy caused the ship to judder and shift it's already precarious position. "Move, move, move!" he yelled bundling the girls ahead of him as his mind raced through all possibilities, all of which resulted in big trouble. A loud rumble caused the group to pick up speed as they darted down the stairs.

Jack took the first turning off the service stairs, preferring the space of an open corridor to run through. He looked behind him to check the others were with him, just in time to see Martha lose her footing. As she tumbled down the last few stairs; the Doctor and Rose yelled out in surprise and worry as her head connected loudly with the skirting board.

Jack rushed to her side as the Doctor scanned her with his screwdriver.

"She'll be okay; she'll have a bit of a headache and probably a case of concussion. We need to get out of here."

As if on cue the building creaked and shook beneath their feet.

Jack scooped the unconscious girl up and took off again. The Doctor pushed Rose through the door, checking over his shoulder.

Rose ran so fast she overtook Jack who was struggling with Martha's dead weight in his arms. The main staircase was in sight spurring them all on. Then they heard the roof above them crack.

Jack glanced up first, and saw one of the support beams jerk downwards. "We need to get out of here."

As they neared the bottom of that flight the beam crashed to the floor narrowly missing them.

Rose spun round to see the beam breaking the already time worn floorboards. Jack pulled up beside her but someone was missing.

"Doctor?! Where is he Jack?"

"I don't know he was right behind me."

' _Doctor? Doctor, where are you? Doctor, answer me!'_

' _I'm okay, just a little stuck.'_

Rose sighed with relief as she saw her lover emerge from the floor behind the beam.

"Why do I have déjà vu?" she called, shying away from the fallen beam as sparks from broken electricity cables began to fall setting small fires on the stairs.

"California, about three weeks ago. You got blocked off by falling rocks. You okay?" the Doctor called over the creaking, shielding himself from the sparks that were falling fast and furious.

"A little on the hot side," she told him and stepped back further from the flames that had begun to lick up from the fallen beam.

"Oh great, now we gotta deal with fire?!" Jack complained. "When did that become fun?"

The Doctor was trying to find a way round the beam but soon realised it was impossible. "Jack, just go. Get out of here." He stared at them through the flames for a moment, neither one was moving. "Run!" he yelled over the rumbling that shook the building, causing the floor beneath him to creak ominously.

"Not without you!" Rose shouted.

"I'll find another way, just take Martha and go!" He staggered back up a few stairs as the floor shook and gave way, the floor boards disintegrating to ash beneath his feet. Jack and Rose heard his scream fade as he fell from sight.

"Doctor!" Rose screamed, the flames licking higher and closer to her by the minute.

XxXxX

The Doctor felt himself hit the floorboards below but instead of stopping him, they gave way and he fell down further before finally hitting something solid. He felt the air rush out of his lungs on impact and could just make out Rose and Jack shouting over the din of the collapsing building and the ringing in his ears.

He thought of the nice comfy spaceship he and Rose called home. Closing his eyes the Doctor tuned it all out and lay there, his body screaming with pain and feeling more tired than ever.

XxXxX


	15. Chapter 15

"Rose, we've got to move, this whole place is going to go up in flames and if I don't get you and Martha out of here he is never going to forgive me." Jack guided her away from the flames, shifting Martha in his arms.

"I'm not leaving him. Not in here, not like this!"

"Rose we have to. There's no way back."

"You could go. You wouldn't die."

"No, but you might. I promised the Doc I'd always save you first and that's what I'm going to do, now move!"

XxXxX

She gingerly padded down the stairs and peered through the hole in the floor. She could just about smell him over the smoke and burning wood. Giving a snort she tentatively climbed down the ruins of the floor boards to the basement and the body on the floor. Reaching the bottom she trotted over to the familiar figure. She nudged his cheek earning a slight groan. Gently she grabbed his collar and began to drag him across the floor, desperately tugging him towards the nearest exit.

XxXxX

Jack and Rose stood outside, scanning every last inch of the grounds for their Doctor.

"He'll be okay," Martha told them. She was sat on the cold grass and still feeling groggy. "He'll be fine and find his way out. I know he will." She tried to comfort Rose as she stood watching the flames engulf the building, her face set and her jaw twitching.

She was like a coiled spring. Martha could tell she wanted to run back in and find him.

Before she could offer any more words of comfort there was a loud crash as the roof started to cave in.

Rose screamed and bolted for the building, Jack hot on her heels. He grabbed her and held her back.

She'd become hysterical, sobbing and calling for the Doctor as she sank to the floor, taking him with her.

"Rose," Jack soothed in her ear. "Listen to me. The Doctor's strong. He won't give up. Martha's right he'll find a way."

XxXxX

He was aware he was moving and it hurt but the smell of burning was becoming less pungent which he decided was a good thing. He groaned as his back hit something particularly hard and he heard a soft whine in response.

Cracking open his eyes he focussed on his surroundings, he was outside on the ground, moving further and further away from the collapsing building and he knew it wasn't Jack saving him. He could feel warm breath on his neck and something cold and wet.

The Doctor wondered if he should panic and almost laughed at the thought. Whatever it was, it was saving him and for that he could kiss it. He wasn't ready to die yet, Rose was waiting for him, he could feel her in his head. That little comforting tug in his mind was still there so she wasn't far away.

XxXxX

An explosion echoed through the air and Jack threw himself at the girls, protecting them from anything that might fly their way.

"Hi," Martha managed looking up into Jack's face.

"You okay?" he asked pulling her to her feet before crouching to look at Rose. She was just staring at the wreckage of the house.

"There's no way he could have survived that," she whispered. Her eyes were vacant and glazed.

"Rose, I swear he'll be fine. He just got you back he's not going to let something as small as that stop him." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and just held her in silence.

Martha stood staring out at the landscape desperately searching for any signs of life but there was a horrible voice in her head that wouldn't go away telling her that Rose was right. The Doctor was gone.

XxXxX

There was another snort by his ear as he was hurriedly dragged into the surrounding undergrowth. Flexing his back he attempted to move the rest of his body but a growl from beside him and a jarring pain in his back halted all activity. He risked a look to his side feeling the world swim and he froze.

" _Well, this is new,"_ he thought, _"just please don't eat me."_

The creature stood beside him before moving so that it was lying across his chest, shielding him as a loud explosion filled the air. Looking up he could just make out flying debris falling into the treetops as the creature's fur tickled his face and neck. After a few moments the animal got back onto its feet and looked directly into the Doctor's eyes.

He'd been expecting a pair of amber eyes staring back at him but he was only half right.

One was deep amber but the other was sapphire blue.

If he didn't know better he'd say the animal had winked at him before he gave up focussing only to feel himself being dragged back out of the undergrowth.

XxXxX

"Rose? Something wrong?" Jack called.

Rose had tensed in his arms and stood. She started to move across the grass slowly, like and animal stalking its prey.

"What's she doing?" Martha hissed at Jack.

He shrugged. "Rose honey?"

She raised her hand to quieten them. She wasn't sure where she was going but something was making her walk and no matter how much she tried she couldn't make herself stop.

XxXxX

He felt them stop and forced his eyes open.

"Who knew falling through two wooden floors would be so painful?" he rasped, groaning as he struggled to raise himself from the ground.

The animal gave a light bark and wagged its tail; if the Doctor didn't know better he'd swear the creature was smiling at him.

Easing his back from side to side the Doctor assessed the damage. "Well a cracked rib or two round the back and a dislocated shoulder. Could be worse," he told the creature as he waited for the world to stop spinning.

It started trotting off determined in its direction.

"Oi!" the Doctor shouted and the animal stopped. "Not so fast! Injured man here!"

With its head low the wolf padded back to his side, looking almost sheepish in its hurry to move. "Don't want to get lost now do I?" he grinned.

The animal spotted a long piece of wood and picked it up in it's mouth, holding it out to the Doctor.

He smiled and took the offering. "I'm guessing this isn't to play fetch with, it's far too long." Adjusting the wood in his hand he leant against it, using it as a crutch and slowly hobbled along side his new lupine friend.

XxXxX

They hadn't walked far but for Rose the few minutes seemed to take forever, the light had almost completely disappeared, just a few rays were still visible in the distance. Suddenly Rose froze as a pair of silhouettes crested the hill, she could hardly dare to hope that the shadows in the distance might end her fears.

The smaller of the silhouettes galloped off into the shadows, disappearing from sight leaving just the one tall figure that had slowed to a stop.

"Doc?!" Jack exclaimed.

"Doctor!" Rose cried finally allowing herself to believe her eyes as she recognised the outline of her Time Lord. She ran towards the Doctor as he fell to his knees in relief, Martha and Jack jogging along behind.

Wrapping her arms around his neck Rose peppered his face with kisses as he gave a silly relieved giggle.

Martha had only heard that giggle once before, when she'd saved him from being burned up inside by a sun. It was a giggle that had no care in the world for those few moments, one that was deliriously happy to not be dead. She'd rarely seen that in him during her travels, he'd always insisted he didn't need anyone but that wasn't true. He needed Rose and Jack. It was then she realised what a difference having friends like Jack and Rose made.

Reaching one painful arm up, the Doctor wrapped it round Rose and losing his balance, he fell backwards with an even more painful thud.

"You keep scaring me!" she accused between kisses.

"Like to keep you on your toes," he rasped, his smoke filled lungs tightening with every breath.

"Are you okay? What happened? One minute you were there and then you were gone."

"Fell through a few flimsy floorboards," he told her, almost laughing at the horror on her face. "Not life threatening. A few cuts and bruises that's all. Where's my canine companion?"

"Your what?" Jack asked.

"My furry friend, it was right here."

"I saw something run into the shadows as you came over the hill," Rose offered, stroking his face, reassuring herself that he was really there as she helped him to painfully sit-up.

They watched the Doctor as he scanned the shadows looking for any trace of movement.

"I don't get it, what are you looking for?" Martha asked.

"The wolf," he told them simply, wincing as he shifted to see round them.

"The wolf," Rose said her voice barley more than a whisper.

' _There's something of the wolf about you.'_

"Yeah, can you believe it? This huge wolf dragged me out of the building."

"Sure it wasn't a collie?" Martha chuckled. "I hear Lassie came out of retirement."

"I'm serious. Big wolf. One blue eye, one amber. Must've been about six foot long."

"Well it's gone now," Jack told him, helping the injured alien to his feet.

"You should get your back seen to, wouldn't be surprised if you'd done a fair bit of damage. Two sets of floorboards, that's gotta be a first even for you," Martha told him, noticing the way the Time Lord was hunched.

"What's up with your arm?" Jack asked, noticing it hanging limp at the Doctor's side.

"Do me a favour?" the Doctor asked, "pull it straight out to the side?"

Jack eyed him cautiously as the girls kept silent. He watched the Doctor grit his teeth and squeeze his eyes shut as Jack did as he was asked.

The Doctor then twisted his torso, resulting in a sickening crunch and a loud yell of pain that brought tears to his eyes.

"Better?"

"Nope," the Doctor squeaked. "But at least it's in the right place." Holding his shoulder protectively, he took a few deep breaths and gazed at Rose for a moment before telling her softly, "it's good to see you safe."

"You too," she smiled then laughed as he gingerly folded her into a one armed hug.

"I could feel you," he told her pulling back. "Up here," he tapped the side of his head. "I knew you were still here."

"I …" Rose frowned for a moment and looked to the bushes beside them. She turned away from her friends and moved towards them. She didn't realise she was holding her breath until it whooshed out in an almighty scream.

XxXxX


	16. Chapter 16

Jack pulled out his pistol and moved to place himself between the bushes and his friends.

"Jack stop!" the Doctor hissed. "It's alright Rose."

She stepped away as the creature emerged from the foliage. "Blimey," she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "Scared the life out of me!"

"Is that….?" Martha took a tentative step forwards to peer round the Doctor's shoulder.

"My furry friend," the Doctor told them softly as the wolf stepped closer to Rose, sniffing her hand.

Rose tensed for a few moments, staring with fear at the animal.

The Doctor watched the pair as they locked eyes. "Rose?" He limped beside her. "What do you see?"

Jack frowned at Martha. It was almost pitch black around them now with only the light of the flames from the burning building illuminating them.

"You, me the TARDIS, it's all in her head," Rose said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"I think _you're_ in her head," the Doctor told her quietly. "You saved me Rose. That's why I could feel you in my head from so far away you were right there."

"But how?" She couldn't take her eyes from the creature's. She was lost in the colours in them and the animal just sat there like an obedient pet.

"Another mystery of Bad Wolf I suppose. If you want something strongly enough maybe Bad Wolf gives you the power to manipulate the universe around you to make it happen. That's a dangerous thing to be able to do Rose. Of course I could be completely wrong."

"You mean you don't know, you're just guessing," Rose said, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"That about sums it up."

"She looks like she should belong to someone, like a pet."

"Perhaps it's time you set her free."

Rose nodded. "How?"

"Just want her to leave; to detach herself from you."

A few moments later the creature broke apart into golden particles and dissolved into Rose's fingers.

"That has got to be one of the most surreal things I have ever experienced," she said, finally turning to look at the Doctor.

"Since when did we have wolves in the English countryside?" Martha asked.

"You don't and haven't done for about 400 years. That wolf wasn't real, it was part of Rose. She created it without even knowing. Wolves were hunted to extinction in your fair land. 20 million years of evolving, 10 times more intelligent than your smartest domestic dog and yet the earth's population think they own the planet."

"But they were dangerous right? I mean that's where all the stories came from. Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf," Martha pointed out.

"Horses can kill if you tick them off enough but no one goes round shooting them. There's never been a documented incident of a healthy wolf attacking a human being. Sure they're a pest to farmers, taking sheep and calves but one thing you humans forget is you don't own the earth, you just live on it. You belong to it not the other way round and the animals were here long before you were in one form or another. You lot don't understand or respect what you have and soon it's gone. You've exterminated it but you never seem to learn." The Doctor's sad tone made them all silent. "Wolves aren't all that different to you lot you know."

"Well I've seen some pretty ugly girls but the ones on earth aren't _that_ bad," Jack chuckled.

"I'm serious. Have you ever taken the time to get to know what you live with? What you share the planet with? Think about it. A majority of the nation are loyal to only one thing. Family. Wolves are the very symbol of loyalty, family, perseverance and success. You could learn a lot from the world around you if you'd only pay more attention."

"So why did I choose Bad Wolf?" Rose asked.

"I don't think you did. I think the TARDIS did for that exact reason. It made you choose something that most wouldn't pay attention to when seen written, except us because that's what we do. We always look for the extraordinary. You were always loyal to me, you were always there me and I think she knew you'd never give me up without a fight. With its family a wolf is a playful puppy. When something comes along to threaten that family then it can be deadly."

"Looks like the TARDIS knew us better than we knew ourselves," Rose smiled.

"Oh I think we knew, I think we were just very good at pretending it wasn't there."

Her smile widened. "Maybe. Come on, let's get you home."

Jack stepped up beside the Doctor and helped him limp cross the grass in search of the TARDIS.

"Wait, what about the Scopuli?" Martha asked falling instep with them.

"They're no threat, even if they survived their ship didn't," the Doctor said confidently. "They have no way of destroying anything. They're stranded with no way off the planet and no technology."

"I have a question," Rose announced. "If the little ship in the house was the Scopuli and they were causing all the trouble, then who did Torchwood find in the sky? They said that was a big ship, and it was sending off a signal."

"Good question," the Doctor frowned. "Well the signal was definitely this lot; they must've found a way of bouncing it off the visitor like an amplifier. But the question remains who were they and are they still there?"

"Well whoever they are they're not causing us trouble so how 'bout we keep moving?" Jack suggested. "Where are we anyway?"

"England. As for when I don't have a clue, how old that house is I couldn't say. Although how we got here is a complete mystery. Scopuli were never known for being able to transport people through time."

"Well how ever it happened let's just be grateful it did and that we were all together," Martha said.

"Definitely," Rose agreed, her eyes never leaving her lover's face as they slowly made their way home.

XxXxX

"Right then, lets get you sorted," Jack said guiding the hobbling Doctor inside.

"You should be fixing yourself up," Rose chided as he headed straight for the control panel.

"And I will as soon as I get us out of here. Your mother is probably going spare. Last time we spoke I had big ears, a northern accent and only one heart. If we're not quick she'll rip through the void and kill me herself."

"She can wait a bit longer."

"Well I can't. The sooner I get away from here the better. There, see done, on our merry way to Cardiff. Besides you still need to tell her about all your changes." He smiled at her as the rotor sprang to life.

"I don't _have_ to."

"You don't think she'll notice you look exactly the same as you do now in twenty years time?"

"Well it's a time machine, maybe we skipped those years," Rose said feebly.

"And had twenty years of adventures in minutes in between?" he looked at her sceptically.

"Fine, fine but first we are fixing you up. She'll go spare if she sees you in a state again."

The Time Lord nodded. "Then I'll have a scan for the other visitors."

"Come on you, I'll help you," Martha sighed as she followed Rose and the Doctor through the corridor.

She watched as he hobbled around the med-bay wearily.

"What do we need?" Jack asked pushing past Martha to help.

"Strapping and this…" he hoisted up a large instrument that looked like a giant version of the Sonic Screwdriver.

"What does that do?" Martha asked stepping into the room.

"Repairs broken bones."

"What's broken?" Jack asked snatching the instrument away from the Time Lord.

"Just a couple of ribs and they're not so much broken as cracked," he groaned slightly as he leant against the cot.

"How long does it take?" Martha inspected the gadget in Jack's hand.

"A couple of hours."

"Does it hurt? Mending bones?"

"Yep. Well not really the bones part, it's the repairing tissue around them that hurts."

"This is going to be a fun couple of hours," Jack sighed.

"You two don't have to stay. Go and do something fun. I can do this on my own."

"Where's Rose got to?"

"Rose is right here," she said bounding into the room. "Come on you, you're not doing this on that slab you call a cot in here. Sheets are turned down and I've put extra cushions out on our bed."

"Did you know he had broken ribs?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, heard it in my head when that wolf was looking at me. You know he babbles even to wild animals."

' _I don't babble,'_ the Doctor thought.

Rose grinned. "You so do! I'm still connected to you but it's not as loud now."

"Must be wearing off, pretty soon you won't be able to hear me at all," the Doctor told her.

"Well, can't say that I'm too disappointed. It's pretty noisy in your head."

"Tell me about it," he grinned.

"Come on you, comfortable bedding awaits."

XxXxX

Martha cleaned up his cuts and took in her surroundings as he helped the Doctor strap his shoulder. She'd never been in his bedroom before and she wasn't sure what she'd expected. Part of her always assumed it would be minimal, clinical almost but here she was perched on the edge of a large sumptuous bed swathed in red covers that was on a platform at one end of the room. The room itself was warm and comforting, just as a bedroom should be which surprised her.

She turned her attention back to the job at hand as the Doctor instructed Rose and Jack how to set up the equipment. For once she was able to observe him relatively un-noticed. The Doctor was fairly muscular for such a slight build, with very few scars for so many battles. The most prominent being the big y-shaped scar of his chest which none of them spoke of in any great detail. It was easy to forget he wasn't human when she looked at him, especially like this.

"Right then Doc, ready to rock'n'roll," Jack grinned.

"You are really too American for words sometimes Jack Harkness," the Doctor chuckled shifting himself to lie on his side.

"So we just aim this thing at you and leave it?"

"That about sums it up."

"And what do we do in the meantime?"

"Anything you like," the Doctor told them, bunching the pillows round his head trying to make his spine as straight as possible.

"Here, lift up." Rose told him sitting on the edge behind him and sliding her leg under his head. "Better?"

He nodded, "although you are going to be really annoyed when your leg goes to sleep."

"Well we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it," she smiled.

"You're not all planning on staying in here are you?" the Doctor called as Jack switched the machine on.

"Want rid of us?" Martha teased.

"Well no, it's just… well this is going to be incredibly boring."

"All the more reason for us to stay and keep you company," Jack told him, rounding the bed and sitting down. "Besides, I know for a fact you have a pretty good t.v on that wall there. And your bed is huge and very comfy."

"Typical Jack, all thoughts turn to the bed!" Martha teased.

"Hey, no fair. I was just being honest and it's not my fault we're in here," Jack declared with mock indignation and failing miserably to hide a smile. "Besides, look how big this thing is, we could all sprawl out and still have room to spare."

The group continued to chat and joke, not once reacting if the Doctor groaned or flinched, they all carried on as if it were a normal situation.

"So Doc, what's with Susan?" Jack asked finally. "You and Rose were talking about her in present tense."

"Susan was….is my granddaughter."

"So you really had children?" Martha asked.

"I was married once or twice," the Doctor told her.

She looked up at Rose but saw no reaction, this wasn't new information.

"You were married?"

"Yup, back on Gallifrey. And on earth for all of five minutes. I'm not a very good husband. Too busy moving around to pay enough attention."

"Oh I don't know. You seem to manage fine these days," Rose told him.

"But where is she, Susan I mean?" Martha asked.

"Twenty-second century the last I heard."

"You mean you don't know?"

"A lot has happened since we parted ways."

"What happened to her?" Jack asked.

"She fell in love. She was going to stay with me, thought she needed to look after me. She would have given up the one chance she had to be happy to stay with me."

"But you didn't let her."

"No."

"So what did you do?" Martha queried

"I did what any loving Grandfather would do. Locked her out of the TARDIS."

"What? Did you even say goodbye?" The girl's voice rose several pitches causing Jack and Rose to wince.

"Of course!"

The group fell silent for a moment before Martha spoke again. "Just how many of us have there been?" she asked, not noticing the looks Rose and Jack were giving her.

"How many what?"

"Companions. Strays. How many have you had traveling with you?"

The Time Lord regarded her for a moment. "What is it with you lot wanting to know how many people I've traveled with or how I died?"

"It's a reasonable question. You're a complete mystery to everyone, even Rose at times. It's not like we don't know there have been others. How bad can it be?" She finally noticed the look of horror on her friend's faces. "What? It's not like I've asked how many people you've slept with!"

"That sounds like a far more interesting subject," Jack intervened. "How might that conversation go? Martha? You first!" he folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow waiting for Martha to steer the conversation back onto safer ground.

Past companions had always been a touchy subject for the Time Lord and although neither of them really knew why, Jack and Rose had both accepted this and never broached the subject again.

"Thirty four," the Doctor said quietly. "Including you three there have been thirty four, not counting Donna and K9, or Rose's mother."

"I think she quite liked being in the TARDIS," Rose told him with a giggle.

"K9?" Jack and Martha chorused.

"He's a tin dog," Rose explained.

"Maybe I'll get round to introducing you one day."

"You know what I think?" Jack asked as the Doctor finally sat up, feeling quite fragile.

"What?" the Time Lord sighed as he hobbled over to switch off the machine, stretching his battered muscles.

"I think you like getting hurt. Every trip we've been on over the last few weeks it's always you."

"Almost true, I got hurt last time, that's how we picked up Martha," Rose reminded him.

"Oh, once in three weeks. How many times has he been injured?"

"Rather me than Rose. Why? You feeling left out Jack?" the Doctor smiled, gently slipping on his shirt. "The thing is Jack there's a bit of a pattern to my life at times. I go through spates where it's always me then I'll go for years without any injuries at all. Besides on the next trip I'm planning to stay as far away from danger as possible for at least…ooo, say a week?"

"Never happen. It's not possible. You could go to the end of the universe and find yourself in big trouble."

"You think you know me so well Jack," the Doctor was still smiling.

"That's because I do. Over the last few weeks I've learnt more about you inside and out than I ever thought I would. Go on; tell me one thing about you that I don't already know!" Jack folded his arms across his chest feeling confident.

"My brain is green."

"What?"

"My brain is green," he repeated simply, walking out of the bedroom.

Rose bit her lip trying not to laugh at the look on the Time Agent's face.

Martha just stared after him. "Please tell me you all heard that too," she begged.

"Green brain. Yup, definitely heard that. He always has to win doesn't he?" Jack grumbled light-heartedly.

"Well you did ask," Rose pointed out rising from the bed to follow her lover out.

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Martha asked, following behind.

"I dunno and I sure-as-hell don't wana find out first hand," Jack told her.

XxXxX


	17. Chapter 17

"Is it really green?" Rose asked slipping her arm round the Doctor's waist.

"Yep. I'll show you the images if you like," he grinned down at her.

"Think I'll pass thanks." She scrunched her nose up at the thought. "So what are we doing?"

"Well first I scanned the skies and the ship Jack's lot found has gone. No trace. Must've just been passing. Some sort of pit stop. Like when you go on a coach trip and they stop to take photos. So then I thought we better…." He was cut off by a worried sounding voice blaring from the speakers.

"Hello?"

"Hello Jackie, this is the good ship TARDIS!" the Doctor cheered as she fizzled into view on the monitor. "Said I'd ring you back. Sorry about the delay, unexpected alien invasion."

"Oh that old chestnut," she joked sounding relieved.

"Well you know me. Do my best to stay out of trouble, don't always succeed though."

"Never thought I'd say this but it's good to see you," she told him pointedly.

"Not fond of the other me then?" he asked.

"No offence but this you is easier to like from a mother's point of view. So is _everything_ back to normal? I mean are you still….?"

"Two hearts with only a little waiting," he grinned.

"Well thank heavens for that. You had me really worried for a while there."

"Well if you will ring at awkward moments…" he didn't continue his sentence when he saw the frustrated look on Jackie's face. "Anyway I'll leave you two ladies to catch up."

"I need you to stay and explain stuff to her," Rose hissed, tightening her grip on him making him squeak as his tender body protested.

"You mean you need someone to hide behind."

"No, that would be your job!"

"What's going on, what are you talking about?" Jackie asked.

"Okay mum, remember you love me and don't freak out. We're fine, nothing's wrong as such it's just, well… there's something we need to tell you."

"Oh go you're not pregnant are you?"

"What?! No!?" they chorused sounding scandalised.

XxXxX

Jack and Martha were about to enter the control room when they heard the word 'pregnant'. Martha hesitated but Jack strolled on in regardless, not even trying to hide the smirk on his face.

"Not through want of trying," he muttered just loud enough for the Doctor to hear as he walked past.

"I mean what would you do with a baby on board?" Jackie continued seemingly oblivious to the pair's assurance to the negative. "You couldn't carry on as you are, you'd have to settle somewhere. And what would you do about getting married? I mean he's not human. He doesn't even have a bleeding name!"

"Lungbarrow," the Doctor said as Jackie paused to take a breath.

"Beg your pardon?"

The Doctor cleared his throat. He wasn't sure what had made him blurt that out after all these years but he knew now he couldn't get out of it, all four occupants were looking at him expectantly.

"My erm… my family name is Lungbarrow. Although I was disinherited. Terrible disappointment to them I was."

Silence descended heavily around him. He dared to look at Rose and found her gazing up at him with a look somewhere between astonishment and joy. He wasn't sure what either emotion was in aid of.

"What?" he asked finally. "You don't think I have an actual name?"

"Well yeah, just didn't think it'd be so….."

"Boring," Jack interjected helpfully.

"Normal," Rose corrected.

"What were you disinherited for?" Martha asked.

"Oh, how long have you got? I broke nearly every rule going." There was a confusing mixture of pride and self-loathing in the Doctor's tone.

"So you have a last name, well that's something. What about your first name?" Jackie asked.

"Oh no, that one goes with me to my death."

"Which one? 11th, 12th or 13th?" Rose asked cheekily.

"All of them. Anyway no, there are no more residents expected on the ship. Nothing so simple."

"Can you even have children?" Jackie asked. "Just thought, if he's alien and you're human, Rose. Maybe he can't have kids. I'll never have grandchildren!"

Rose felt the Doctor tense beside her. "Don't be so melodramatic mum. Don't forget Sarah. She'll grow up and have kids I'll bet."

"She's only a baby. I'll have to wait another 20 years. Oh god! I'll be in my 60's!"

"Well Doc? It's a good question, can you have kids?" Jack asked, suddenly what would happen to the three of them if a baby did appear on the scene.

"I….It's complicated"

"What do you mean?"

He raked his fingers through his hair and looked round at everyone again.

XxXxX

"Ooooohhh," he sighed. "Gallifreyan's aren't born as such. Legends go that one of our rulers was over-thrown by Rassilion and some others. They didn't like her 'religious' ways of ruling preferring science instead and Gallifrey became a republic."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Martha asked after the Doctor remained silent for some time.

"Before she threw herself in the abyss Pythia cursed Gallifreyan's with sterility."

"Your lot didn't believe in curses really though did they?" Jack asked.

"Not usually but that night every unborn child was still born. Rassilion found another way to reproduce. The natural way died out with the Monarchy."

"So your son wasn't really your son?" Rose asked.

"No, he was. He was created in a Loom. A cloning machine. Biologically he is…was my son."

"So you're a test tube baby?" Jack asked.

"Putting it as bluntly as universally possible, yes I suppose I am."

"Wow. Didn't your lot ever try again?"

"Why? We had a way to reproduce that was all that mattered."

"Weren't there any, you know, 'accidents'?" Martha asked.

"You have to remember that Gallifreyan's weren't big on emotional attachment or affection with each other but losing their children hurt them deeply."

"You're telling me none of you're lot jumped in the sack just for the fun of it? Just because they really liked the person they were with?" Jack couldn't believe it.

"Nope."

"Wow, you really are an anarchist compared to your lot."

"You don't know the half of it."

"Hang on though," Rose interrupted. "How did they know the curse was real? It could have all just hit that one night, if no one tried again then how can the know it was for real?"

"I suppose they didn't. But they didn't like coincidences that big so rather than push fate it was easier to admit defeat and find another way."

Rose nodded and looked thoughtful "So you and your wife never…."

He looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. "Never."

She couldn't hide the grin that spread across her face at the knowledge before returning her attention to her mother. "Anyway despite embarrassing his Lordship here there was something we needed to tell you. I don't really know how else to put it so here it goes. I'm not completely human any more."

Jackie looked blankly at the screen. "Sorry?"

"You remember when you got that tow truck and helped me open the TARDIS? Well all this energy sort of went into me and over the years my body changed. That heart murmur? It was actually a second heart beat. I grew another heart mum. Biologically I'm becoming more Gallifreyan which means that I'm gona live for ages and ages. Might even outlive the Doctor."

There was silence once more in the control room as the occupants held their breath waiting for Jackie's reaction.

First she just nodded as she took in this new information. "Well…. that's a… surprise. Still I suppose it's a good thing. His nibs won't be left on his own in 60 years time when you get too old to travel."

"You're not angry?"

Jackie shook her head. "What difference does it make now? You're not here. As long as you're happy love then I am. Don't get me wrong I wish you were here, both of you. I wish that I could be a bigger part of your lives but I can't. As long as you've got each other that's all that matters. I know that better than anyone. And you don't have to look so surprised!"

The Doctor snapped his jaw shut. "But…but… where's the yelling? Where are the threats of ripping the void open and slapping me six ways to Sunday?"

"I helped her open your blooming ship so I'm partly to blame."

"I hope the TARDIS is recording this conversation. Quick Jack, do the lottery numbers!" the Time Lord called out.

"Despite what you think Doctor I don't hate you. You're as much a part of my family as Mickey is. I might give you a hard time but that's what mums do. You're as good as a son to me and I love you, just remember that next time you roll your eyes at me." Her voice softened more and more and the Doctor was stunned into silence.

Martha and Jack smiled at each other softly.

The Doctor finally cleared his throat. "Well, just was well you're not here."

"Why's that?"

"There would be a very unmanly display of hugging which would do nothing for my reputation with mothers," he gave a lopsided grin to the monitor and Jackie chuckled.

"Can't have that now can we? Right go on off with you both. How you kept this connection going as long as you have is beyond me. Go on, have fun the lot of you and take care."

"Bye mum. I'll call you again soon."

As Jackie faded from sight no one quite knew what to say or do. They all stood in silence. Rose and the Doctor were completely shell-shocked, trying to understand what had just happened. There was not shouting or screaming. Not even a raised voice. Jackie had just accepted everything.

"Okay who was that and what did they do with my mum?" Rose demanded at last and the Doctor laughed.

"I don't give your mum enough credit. I'm not fair on her, but then where's the fun in being fair to your mother-in-law?"

"She's not your mother in law," Martha pointed out.

"Well no, true. Only a technicality though."

"Well, my mum has just given us her blessing. How'd you feel?"

"Like I have one more thing to face. Time to lay some ghosts to rest," he told them, setting the TARDIS in motion.

XxXxX


	18. Chapter 18

The Doctor stepped out first and looked around. He managed to suppress a shudder as his footsteps echoed around him.

The damage Jack's team had done with the fire had hardly touched this floor; the only evidence was some black smudging on the ceiling.

He ran his fingers over one of the levers as he stared at the all too familiar white wall at the other end of the room.

In his minds eye he saw Rose falling towards it, falling from his life never to return. Or so he thought.

Taking a deep breath he smelt Rose's perfume and smiled lightly, turning to look at her.

"Wondered how long 'til you came out."

"You're not the only one with ghosts here."

He nodded and saw Martha step out behind her with Jack.

"Welcome to Torchwood one Martha."

She nodded and looked around her.

"Your cousin's desk was in very room." He let her absorb the fact as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way to the door and peered out into the corridor.

"Two doors down to the left," Jack called to him.

He turned back and nodded, hesitating before going any further.

Martha looked round at Rose and Jack questioningly. They said nothing, just followed the Doctor's journey slowly. She took hold of Rose's had and squeezed supportively. She knew this was where they had lost each other. She'd lost her cousin here and she thought maybe she should feel something more but all she felt was a slight sadness, like a residual energy in the walls, nothing more.

XxXxX

Jack paused outside a room and Martha and Rose joined him, watching the Doctor stand in the middle staring at what was left of the equipment.

" _Who are you?" the Doctor gasped._

" _Oh we've never met. I'm Elizabeth. Although you did meet my sister last time you were here. You killed her. Yvonne Hartman?"_

" _I didn't kill her. She was upgraded it wasn't my fault."_

" _But you didn't save her did you?"_

" _I wish I could save everyone but I can't. It never works that way."_

" _You loved her. How is that possible? An alien falling for a human."_

" _Takes a special kind of human."_

" _Well at least you know what loss feels like."_

" _More than you knooo…" His sentence finished with another scream._

The Doctor remembered the feeling of helplessness, electricity coursing through him from head to toe. He looked around and saw the portable generator they had used when the power cut out, it's cables still attached. Without a word he walked over and shoved it hard, propelling it against the wall causing it to spilt open. He winced as pain shot through his still tender shoulder and kicked the offending machinery for good measure.

XxXxX

Rose jumped slightly beside Jack as the metal crashed down onto the floor; he noticed and wrapped an arm round her shoulders, pressing a light kiss to the top of her head.

Jack remembered opening the door and seeing the lifeless Time Lord on the table, covered in a green sheet. For a moment he wondered if they had killed him and he remembered the rage he felt when he'd shot Elizabeth Hartman. He'd never killed a human in a blind rage before. He could still hear the rushing in his ears as she refused to stop her torture on the Doctor and all that mattered to him at that point was getting the Time Lord home.

Martha watched as the Doctor attacked the equipment, throwing things around the room. Then he was still again, fingering the leather straps attached to the metal table and rubbing his chest with his other hand. That's when she understood. The scar on his chest was because of this room and this equipment. She looked up at Jack questioningly but she already knew the answer before he nodded. The Doctor had been tortured here, in this room.

When he'd said he was laying old ghosts to rest it wasn't just the day he lost Rose he was talking about.

XxXxX

Rose went to the Doctor and just stood beside him, letting him know she was there. Without looking he took her hand in one of his and squeezed. She looked at him and saw a shimmer in his eyes.

"It's over," she said, her voice no more than a whisper.

He nodded and gave her a small smile. "Yes, it finally is," he agreed making one final decision before heading back to the TARDIS.

The pair paused before following Jack and Martha inside, taking one last look around them at the white room that had haunted so many nightmares.

XxXxX

The TARDIS landed back in the dark hospital car park.

"A bit later than I thought, sorry," the Doctor told Martha leaning against the doors. "Sure you're not going to stick around?"

"Definitely," she replied with such certainty that the Doctor frowned. She smiled at him. "I've learnt a lot of things about you over the last few days but none of them were because you wanted to share them with me and it made me realise I don't belong." She held up a hand when he looked like he might interrupt. "And that's okay. It was usually me hugging you, me grabbing for your hand not the other way round. There's still that barrier up between us and it will always be there.

I never lost my family, they were always right here as dysfunctional and annoying as they are and you have a family now, you three have each other. You need them and they need you. But you and I? We don't need each other never have done really. I have everything I need here, at home. I thought I was second best but I'm not even that, I'm third at the most. But I wouldn't have missed a second of it and I don't regret for one minute going travelling with you but it really is time to move on now. And I hope you'll come and visit me sometime but if you don't I won't be surprised. Just try and stay uninjured for a while and rest that shoulder. Throwing electrical equipment around won't have done it any good."

The Doctor smiled and nodded. "Thank you Martha, for everything. Oh Rassilion I've got deja vu!"

Martha laughed. "Well we have done this before."

"Yeah. Thank you for looking after me. And I know I've said it before but I really am sorry for every time I've made you feel less than fantastic. I guess I'm just a coward at heart."

"You were hurting. It's like they say, 'when someone's standing on a ledge there's no talking them down, it's something they have to go through'. Go on, they'll be waiting for you."

He nodded, "Goodbye Martha Jones." Suddenly he stooped and took her in a bone crunching hug and she laughed. "There, that's a real hug."

Martha smiled and nodded, stepping back as he disappeared into the TARDIS without a backward glance. The familiar grating of the universe filled the air as the blue box faded into the night and she bit her lip willing her eyes not to shed the tears she could feel burning. "Goodbye Mr Smith."

XxXxX

The control room was empty when the Doctor stepped back inside. He set the ship in motion and set off looking for Jack. Today had turned into a day of revelations, apologies and letting go. Now it was Jack's turn.

He knocked tentatively on Jack's open door as he poked his head round to find the Time Agent. "Managed to find your room this time then?" he asked, stepping through the door.

"Yeah, she decided to let me have it after ten minutes of hiding it."

The Doctor chuckled. "It's just because she likes you."

The pair stood in a strange silence for a few moments before Jack spoke. "Did you want something Doc?"

"Uh, well actually I um… I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Jack frowned. "Sorry for what?"

"Plenty and I don't just mean over the past few hours I'm talking about the last couple of centuries. I left you behind, I betrayed your trust and I can't take it back. Believe me I wish I could."

"Doc, I knew we were goners anyway."

"You weren't expecting me to leave without you if we won though were you? There's no excuse other than my cowardice. I wasn't lying when I said you scare me Jack, sometimes I look at you and I'm still scared I can't help it. I didn't know what had happened to you, I didn't know that you couldn't stay dead but I knew you'd somehow come back from the dead and that scared me. It's not normal. Ironic coming from me I know but it's the way I'm programmed. I really am glad you're here now though. You keep saying we're all you've got. It works both ways and we wouldn't be without you. I give you a hard time sometimes and that's wrong of me. Guess some of the old habits die hard but I promise I will be better. Well, I'll try anyway. 900 years on and off of being rude is kind of a hard habit to break."

"Where's all this coming from?"

"Laying ghosts to rest, Jack. You're a good friend and you've never let us down."

"Apart from turning you into a human with your old face."

"You fixed it. We all make mistakes, me more than most; it's what you do afterwards that counts."

The Time Agent nodded and smiled. "For what it's worth, if I were you, I'd still have a hard time trusting me too. Ex Con-Artist and Time Agent that runs a branch of Torchwood; a company that almost caused the end of the world, that ripped Rose away and torture you. It's a hard stigma to shake. I sometimes forget that you don't think the way we do all the time. That you have to look at the bigger picture and other times I think you've got you priorities all screwed up but you always prove to be right. So I guess it's new beginnings all round. And despite some of the things I've said in the past I've never really doubted you and never will. Might take a couple of centuries but you always save our behinds in the end." His smile turned into a full on grin as the Doctor laughed and nodded.

"It really is good to have you back Jack."

"Ditto."

The pair laughed as they hugged each other tightly and as the Doctor went to leave Jack stopped him.

"There's something I wana ask you though."

The Doctor turned and looked at him expectantly.

"Earlier, what got Rose so upset? What did you do while she was gone? I mean I've heard some of it, like the Daleks but so had she, I don't understand what upset her so much."

The Doctor regarded him for a moment but remained silent.

"Forget I asked; it's none of my business. I mean I know it's hard to trust someone that you…"

The Time Lord stepped towards him, cutting him off mid-flow. "You really want to know?"

Jack didn't know how to answer.

"You might want to sit down," the Doctor told him. "This is going to feel a bit strange." He pressed his fingers to Jack's temples.

XxXxX

Eventually the Doctor bounced into his bedroom looking for Rose. He heard water sloshing from the bathroom and smiled as he realised Rose was following through with her earlier promise to herself.

"Hello," he grinned, perching himself on the end of the bath.

"Everything okay?"

"Of course, any reason why it shouldn't?"

"Well, saying goodbye isn't exactly your favourite thing in the world."

"Everyone I know says goodbye in the end," he said quietly.

She slid forward and looked him in the eyes. "Not me, I'm not going anywhere," she told him before rising up to kiss him. "Was she upset?"

"Well I'm not sure really." He frowned and scratched the back of his head as he thought back on their conversation. "It was all a bit odd. Said she knew she didn't belong with us and that was okay because she had a family at home."

"Well that's a good thing isn't it?"

"Yeah, just a bit of an odd conversation I suppose. She said we didn't need each other and that 'when someone's standing on a ledge there's no talking them down, it's something they have to go through.'"

Rose smiled at him.

"What?"

"You, breaking young girl's hearts left right and centre. It's the eyes. One look from you can break a million hearts whether you want to or not."

"Not my fault," he told her taking off his shoes and socks before rolling up his trouser legs and dipping his feet into the bath.

"Not denying it then," she teased, grinning from ear to ear.

"Why….Rose Tyler are you playing footsie with me under the bubbles?"

"Maybe." She lay back in the bath raising an eyebrow.

"I certainly hope so or there's an anonymous inhabitant getting friendly in our bath!"

"Why don't you jump in and find out?"

"Oh you'd just love that wouldn't you?!" he grinned back.

Rose sighed. "So what else did she say? You were gone quite a long time." Reaching for the sponge she continued to bathe as the Doctor spoke.  
"Well I wasn't with her that long really. I did stop in on Jack though." He became serious for a moment.

"Oh?" Rose looked up at him again.

"Felt like there were a few things left to say."

"You two okay?"

"Yeah, just felt like I needed to clear the air. Start fresh."

She nodded. "How fresh? Do I need to book appointments with you for attention?"

"Weeeellll Jack is a very attractive man you know."

She giggled and splashed him, soaking his shirt and tie right through. He froze for a moment before sloshing water back at her.

"Oh you asked for it!" she told him and before he knew it she'd wrapped her feet around his ankles and pulled him into the bath, causing him to slip under the water completely.

He resurfaced spluttering water and wiping the bubbles from his eyes.

"That was mean," he coughed.

Rose bit her lip trying not to laugh at the sight of the soggy Time Lord covered in soap bubbles.

He shook his head at her and manoeuvred himself so he was levered above her.

She reached up and flicked some of the foam from his hair as he glared at her with false annoyance.

"You love it," she told him.

"Oh really? You think so do you? If these trousers shrink you're for it," he couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh no, whatever will you do to me?!"

"Cheeky minx." He began to laugh as he kissed her lightly.

"Right," he pushed himself upright. "I'm off to get dried and I might even treat myself to a snooze."

"Need some help?"

"I think I remember how to snooze," he teased, carefully stepping onto the bathroom floor, water slashing everywhere. He rolled his shoulder and grunted. "Although I might need a hand with my shirt, I think I jarred my shoulder there."

"Sorry," Rose said feeling guilty for pulling him in.

"Don't think I did it much good earlier," he told her holding out a giant towel as she rose from the water.

"Water was getting cold anyway."

"See this is why people generally undress before getting in the bath," he laughed as his soaking wet shirt became tangled around his arms.

"Where's the fun in that?" Rose asked, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose and dropping her towel.

"You're going to get cold stood like that," he smirked as his eyes darkened.

"How about you help dry me off then?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him.

"You're not going to get very dry like that." He shook one of his water-logged trouser legs to emphasise his point.

"Well that's easily fixed." She smiled at him coyly as she helped divest him of his sopping wet trousers. "And you're definitely not cold," she told him as she looked him over.

The soggy Time Lord just grinned as he allowed himself to be led into the bedroom.

XxXxX

Jack sat dumbfounded on his bed. He'd realised the Doctor had had a tough time coping with the loss of Rose. Martha had mentioned his supposed death wish but seeing it was more than Jack had prepared for.

He'd always seen the Doctor as the strong one, the one with all the answers. Now he saw someone who could be as vulnerable as the rest of them. Watching him offer himself up in sacrifice to the Daleks was almost more than Jack could bear. He'd died at their hand and he knew the fear that bubbled away at the mere sight of them.

This Doctor had been more reckless than the last, less cautious with his existence and Jack suddenly realised what Martha must've gone through watching her friend despair right before her eyes. She'd caught the live version not the replay. She'd been with him at some of his darkest moments.

Jack had felt the darkness that had engulfed the Doctor as he imprisoned The Family and it terrified him. He'd always known the Doctor was dangerous but that was a whole new side to him. He couldn't blame Martha for leaving him after that.

The Doctor hadn't been fair to her at all but then who was ever fair when they were grieving? And this wasn't just any kind of grief. This was deep set, soul destroying grief. Decades of loneliness ended by one person only for that person to be ripped away by a cruel twist of fate.

Jack got the impression no one had ever chosen the Doctor over their own family before. No one had ever really left all that they knew for him forever as Rose had done.

He found himself smiling at the situation now. The old Doctor was back, making sure they were all safe. Team TARDIS were back in action with one slight difference. Well two if you count the Doctor's regeneration. The Doctor and Rose were finally together in the way Jack had always thought they should be.

He lay back on his bed with a huge grin on his face as Rose's shrieks of joy floated down the corridors. Things were finally good again. The Doctor had trusted him enough to show him his weaknesses of the past. There was an acceptance between them now that had been missing over the last couple of weeks despite the jokes they had shared.

Yep, life on the TARDIS was good.

XxXxX

Rose lay protectively curled in the Doctor's arms thinking over the last few weeks. They were together and would be for centuries to come. All they needed to do now was stay out of trouble for a few days; giving them a chance to relax. She smiled to herself sleepily as she wondered where he would take her. Away from trouble he'd promised. Well she wouldn't hold him to it. Wasn't like he went looking for trouble, he just always managed to find it. Still it's the thought that counts; as long as they were together they could cope with everything.

He'd told her how he'd shown Jack everything he could allow himself to and she couldn't help but let her heart swell. There was trust between them once more, real honest trust and that was more than she'd ever dared to hope for.

She took one last look up at her lover and gently trailed a finger along his jaw. She smiled at the five o'clock shadow; it was one of the things that made him so human at times. He looked peaceful, nothing in the world to worry him tonight.

Resting her head on his chest she listened to his heartbeats, feeling them lull her closer and closer to her untroubled own dreams. The nightmares were over now for both of them.

XxXxX

**Fin**


End file.
